Seven Seas Treasure
by Edmelon
Summary: Amu is the next ruler. Ikuto is a pirate of the infamous Shining Black. Somehow their lives intertwine, but what is this 'Great Treasure' and why does Amu hold the Lock that will guide the pirates' way to riches? Someone, somewhere close to her may hold the Key… and the Captain has no intention of freeing her until he can find out whom. 1700's piracy AU. Eventual Amuto. 1-3 edited.
1. One

**_Seven Seas Treasure_**

_~.~.~_

_"There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures."  
- William Shakespeare._

~.~.~

The moonlight shone brightly off the calm waters that stretched out as far as the eye could see. The only other source of light came from the buildings across the cobbled road making the stones glow orange, or the hundreds of stars that twinkled in the night sky. Mystical could have been a fitting description. The clear sky, the fresh air, the gentle, light aura of the starlight and the lunar glow reaching the waters... it was all very surreal and the atmosphere was a very calming one.

The air was also calm, but there was the occasional breeze every now and then that brought with it the distinct scent of the sea salt which was far more pleasant than the smell of some of the markets a few streets away or the fish that had been brought back to shore earlier in the day by fishing boats. The fish were no longer there on the side of the road, being untangled from nets by fishermen, but they left behind an unpleasant odour that hung about long after they had gone. This section of the docks was quiet, empty in fact. Except for a few… well-known visitors. Or - for another fitting description - infamous visitors.

Kazuomi Ichinomiya stepped off from his ship and into the road where his crew hurried to work. As he observed them he barked orders, his tone hushed, though still as fierce as ever as he wandered back and forth and in-between the men and hissing; "Hurry up will you?" "Get that onto the ship!" "You'll be damned if someone catches the likes of us round here!" "This had better be enough to last us a month at least!"

At his orders the crew hurried faster.

In the road stood barrels and barrels of supplies - an entire store's worth consisting of nets, weapons and ammunition among other things in piles that they worked to get quickly onto the ship before anybody saw them. Kazuomi had had some of them to go out and 'acquire' their supplies from some of the local shops and he didn't want to risk being caught by sticking around too long. If someone like him was found here… If he was found _stealing _here then they'd have his head off for sure.

The law was too strict for his liking.

Under the cover of darkness though, he wasn't as worried as he would be had it been broad daylight or even evening. Even being stood by the water's edge wasn't enough for the moonlight to reveal their presence stood in the shadow their ship provided for them. All that was visible was the huge, black silhouette of the pirate ship that towered above them and their ill-gotten goods.

And what a ship it was! Even in such poor light the majesty of the vessel was astounding. She was _monumental_, beautifully shaped and her masts stood tall enough to touch the glittery night sky, sails fluttering lightly in the breeze to partially conceal a sizeable chunk of the moon. The waters gently lapped up against her hull, making the water ripple and the reflections cast intricate patterns of dazzling beauty up the length of the wooden surface, almost like a giant spider had spun a magnificent web of light. Had there been any other ships docked at the water's edge then this impressive frigate would have towered over them all; towered over their masts as well as their pride.

Back on land, Kazuomi looked back and forth at the shadows of his crew members as they hauled the barrels up the ramp, onto the ship and then to other members of the crew who passed them down into the hold, yet despite their efforts he sighed, exasperated. "Come on," he pressed, "come on! Quickly now! I don't want to get side-tracked!"

"Apologies, Captain," someone mumbled and shuffled past him whilst carrying another barrel full of gunpowder. They re-emerged seconds later to get another.

This went on for a few minutes or so during which Kazuomi's impatience grew. Eventually though, the last of the stolen goods made its way into the depths of the ship and the crew took this time to have a brief pause from their labour. It was the least they deserved before Kazuomi put them all to work again. After all, the supplies weren't really what they were there for. They were just simply killing two birds with one stone. Whilst they were in this secluded little dock beside a bustling coastal town they may as well stock up on whatever they needed.

The crew's little break was short-lived, however, as within moments they were being ordered back onto the street by their Captain. The tired, overworked men dragged themselves towards the Captain, as silent as possible for fear of drawing anyone's unwanted attention. They each stood in line, fearful of sparking up Kazuomi's wrath. They knew him well; knew that he was bad-tempered, hot-headed, quick to anger... however you wanted to describe him the fact remained that he was an undoubtedly unpleasant person to have in charge. Many had undergone beatings, keelhaulings and a fair few had been subjected to desertion.

"Right," Kazuomi began, getting straight to the point as was his style. God forbid that _the _Captain Kazuomi ever began beating round the bush. "You, you and you three-" the five crew members in question looked him in the eye and awaited further instructions, "-stay on board and guard the ship in case there's anyone snooping about." He told them sternly. As usual, he didn't fancy taking any chances of being seen. The small group of pirates obeyed his orders and went back to their vessel to grab a gun each. "The rest of you know what we're doing here." He finished. The hat he was wearing cast a dark shadow over his face, yet didn't hide the malicious gleam that had appeared in his eyes. Like a beam of light glinting off the edge of a sword, the look in Kazuomi's eyes was sharp, cold and merciless and his crew would often pray for any man unfortunate enough to be cut down by it.

He then faced the town and marched towards it, determined that tonight he would get what he wanted. He heard the footsteps of his crew behind him and felt his confidence grow inside of him. He had been waiting years for this chance. _Years_. Nearly ten of them. Tonight he would get a little bit closer to his goal, his aim, his dream… It was because of this dream that he was who he was now, that he had become a person who he would have hated in the past. He used to despise pirates with every bone in his body. Imprisoning them and making sure they were executed for their crimes used to give him a strange sense of pride, but now he was the Captain of one of the most famous pirate ships around. Ten years ago Kazuomi never would have dreamt of becoming involved in piracy, but somewhere along the line he had given everything up to pursue what he desired the most.

His determination seemed to grow more and more concrete as he pressed on through the night. Unwavering, almost alive and roaring with its fiery strength; it consumed him. It raged throughout his entire being, overpowering his mind and tickling at his senses. For ten years it had been brewing within him; tormenting him and driving him through the dark days and the sleepless nights when he had felt so, so _useless_ and frustrated because everything had always seemed to be too far out of his reach.

Yet now he could just taste his prize.

~.~.~

Amu's heart was sinking – _fast._

A world away – an entirely separate dimension from those who scurried about the dockyards in the little coastal town, scrounging everything and anything they could lay their hands on – Miss Amu Hinamori was sat silently in her grand bedroom, surrounded by finery of only the highest quality.

The clock ticked away on the top of the drawers, counting down the minutes 'til she would have to rise and leave the Palace for the week because, of course, it was required that she socialise with the family friends. It was just inconvenient that they lived outside the city. The Hotoris were a rich family, living in their posh mansion beside the sea and making their way in life through service to the King – Amu's father.

Yes, Amu's father. The King of the Seiyo Empire – the empire that expanded across half the globe and had set up the first major trades between all sorts of countries with powerful allies and a huge military force… And one day it would all be hers.

_'Honestly,' _she often thought to herself, _'It's not like there's any pressure on me or anything like that…'_

No, she was the eldest, so she was the next in line. Of course this also meant that she needed a King for when she took over. That was where tonight's little trip came in.

Right now her family were down by the coast at the Hotori home. Her parents had left the day before, eager to catch up with Yui and Mizue with whom they were very close with, and Ami, Amu's nine-year-old little sister, had joined them and taken along Amu's maid, Rima. Not having her own maid yet, Rima was required for the trip to attend to all Ami's needs as well. Amu would have gone with them only she wasn't too keen on meeting with her parents' friends. They were so... overly optimistic. She supposed they were just being polite like they should be and they were remarkably welcoming and hospitable, but as they were inviting the Royal Family to their household everyone had to be twice as polite and sociable as possible.

Apart from a wealthy background and a mansion overlooking the sea fit for entertaining, Yui and Mizue had one son, Tadase, and of course when the Hinamoris looked for a suitor for their daughter, they looked to him. With their families being so close and powerful, Tadase had been their first choice. It wasn't like Amu hated Tadase or that she would loathe the very thought of being engaged to him, it was just that she would rather have had the freedom to decide to get married in her own time. But of course that was out of the question. She never saw Tadase unless their families were together. In fact if they hadn't been forced to be together she might have actually fallen for him herself. As it was she enjoyed his company and had no quarrel in having to spend time with him. But above all, she noted that Tadase was a truly excellent candidate to be King. He was strong-willed, caring (if a bit over protective) and he worked for the Royal Navy as a Commander. He was fairly tall, blonde and had good features even though he would spend long periods of his time at sea. It was almost as if the fatigue and gloom that usually washed over those at sea wouldn't dare touch him and as if he was seemingly immune to the toll that voyages gave to any other. Amu would be a terrible liar if she said she hadn't caught herself staring at him once or twice in the past.

(Though maybe more than once or twice, but that wasn't to say she hadn't noticed him doing his own fair share of staring either with those dreamy, ruby eyes. She lightly flushed at the memory.)

She was sure he would be an amazing King, but, as of now, there was no point in dwelling on whatever may or may not be the case in her future. Some time had passed and she could expect a servant any minute now coming to fetch her for the journey. The heiress sighed once more and pushed the thoughts away for tonight. It would be many years before she would have to take the responsibility. She stood up, idly twiddling the locks of pink that curled from her bun, and checked her appearance in the mirror to her right. For a while Amu just stood staring at her reflection. An eighteen-year-old Princess with wide, honey golden eyes stared right back at her; pink-dusted cheeks and rosy red lips standing out against her pale complexion. For how long would this face stare back at her? How drastically different would her face become over the next few years when she found the crown perched atop her head? Instead of this creamy-coloured gown she would wear rich, vibrant and striking colours designed to portray her royal lifestyle and decorated with much more extravagant lacing and more impressive gemstones than the burnt orange jewels that shone upon her bodice. Instead of such a thin layer of makeup she would find her face smeared in pastes of bright white and dark, ruby red; and instead of standing in the middle of her bedroom she would sit upon a grand, majestic throne with Commander Hotori by her side. The thought of such a change in lifestyle made her heart drop again.

Unconsciously, she lifted a hand up to the Lock hanging around her neck. It was something she had had all her life - something that had been passed down through the heiresses of the Hinamori family ever since they'd been royalty some centuries ago. It wasn't very large, it was golden and around the keyhole were four colourless crystal hearts arranged to look similar to a four leaf clover. The Lock hung from a golden chain around her neck and was present there every day. She was scarcely seen without it. Whenever it was not dangling from the chain, whenever it was not there resting upon her chest, it felt as though a part of her had gone missing and for the life of her she could not fathom why.

There was a story about that Lock that Amu had once heard from her mother. She had said that the Lock brought good fortune and luck to whoever owned it, but the Queen's daughter had never taken it seriously and had merely responded by saying she was sceptical that such things existed. Even so, the Princess admitted that she would have truly liked to believe in it even by just a little; however for reasons even she wasn't sure of it was hard to even begin to consider that the legend might hold some truth.

Amu's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a knocking on her bedroom door. She called out for whoever it was to come in and saw a servant who immediately bowed to her and announced that her coach was ready. Amu nodded and fetched a brown cloak from her armoire, thanking the servant and saying she was more than ready. Taking a moment to adjust the garment around her shoulders she tried not to scowl, disliking having to wear such things. Covering her completely all the way down to the waist, it restricted her movements somewhat and only worsened the itching caused by the frills on the neckline and sleeves of her dress as it trapped them beneath the layer of fabric. Apparently though it would be chilly tonight, so the cloak had to stay, and she was forced to begrudgingly accept this fact with a slight grumble.

She took one last look at her room before she followed the servant to the front gates of the Palace where, surely enough, there was a horse-drawn coach waiting for her. Thanking the servant, she hopped in and was soon heading towards the coast where she would meet the Hotori family in the morning... All the while blissfully unaware of the large, dark figure that lurked in the shadows of the gates. Moving away from the Palace boundary, he stood to the side of a street, a large bird perched on his arm. Watching the retreating coach, he chuckled lowly before releasing the bird into the darkening sky, smirking to himself.

_"Her Highness is heading your way, Captain..."_

~.~.~

Across the land, far from the busy city that surrounded the Palace and tucked safely away from the public eye; a figure stood in the middle of a large, dark room. Their head tilted upwards, marvelling at the spectacle above them and they began to move, wandering aimlessly as they spoke up to what appeared to be the night sky, never taking their eyes from the brilliant glow above. Though dark, there was a strange sort of glow. It was calming, peaceful, tranquil... Small white dots that appeared to glitter and twinkle like the stars were scattered about the seemingly endless space above. It was as though the place was alive. It was mystical and - if you asked the nameless figure that admired it - positively breath-taking.

"The stars have begun to move...

"The Lock and Key drift from opposite ends of the heavens and are to meet again in the near future, though they may not be aware of it. They both seek something, whether it be an object, an answer or simply a new way of life...

"They will both be making great journeys to meet their destination and will soon come together to reveal the true Great Treasure... The encounters and the adventures and the revelations they will face will shape them and change their outlook on the world, however they must be patient. Everything will be revealed all in good time...

"The Great Treasure is soon to come, but the story has only just begun..."

~.~.~

* * *

_(**A/N**: Thanks to anyone who decided to read the first chapter of this fanfic. If you've already read this before, you'll notice that the first three chapters have been edited. I knew that at first it was pretty dull, but I decided to leave it. Very soon after I realised how stupid that was and tried to make it a little bit more exciting (?) to read. I hope I've been successful in that and I hope that some of you will be able to tell me whether it was because I don't want this story ending up as some dull, boring thing that no one can even face going through.  
So please tell me what I can improve; what I've done well; what you absolutely hated and wish for me to avoid in future chapters because, as much as everyone loves positive opinions, all I'm here for is to improve my writing.  
If you managed this author's note as well as the story, thank you again! I hopefully won't take up this much space in future chapters.)_


	2. Two

~.~.~

Through the town; rushing through the alleyways, the side streets anywhere they wouldn't risk being seen, for they would undoubtedly face a cruel and merciless fate at the hand of the law, they continued away from the docks. In the limited light it wasn't the easiest journey in the world and it would be much quicker to simply have followed the main roads, except that wasn't an option for them. Besides, they knew where they were going, so long as that idiot messenger had been telling the truth.

By now the outlaws had reached the edge of town. The road was bathed in light from the streetlamps and the pirates scampered through it and once again into the darkness, miraculously managing to remain unseen from the one or two locals who most probably had been peering out of their windows.

Kazuomi was not a man who like to be kept waiting and, as it was, the wait these past few years just for this one moment had been excruciatingly slow-moving and it had taunted him for many months on end. But now, here, he could expect results. His messenger had told him of the route the Princess would be taking into the town and he merely had to wait an hour or so until she herself appeared. Nearly two had been taken up already since they first docked at the waterfront; as he had sat in his cabin sipping his drink and biding his time and just waiting for that moment when he would take a step forwards.

"We need her…" Kazuomi murmured so low the rest of the crew could barely hear it. His mind swum with more and more thoughts, fantasies of his goal as he came closer to the road that led out of the town. "That woman…"

"If I have her, I'm one step closer to the Great Treasure…"

They trudged up a rather steep slope where the grass had grown out of control. Battling through the thick vegetation which as they went on almost reached the men's waists, they surveyed the area until they spotted the royal coach that was nearing the town.

"We can't let Fortune get his hands on her…"

As the vehicle drew nearer Captain Kazuomi was certain he spotted pink. "The heiress of Seiyo, she's vital…."

~.~.~

Amu's golden eyes struggled to adjust in the darkness despite having been sat in it for so long now. She blinked again, trying to make out something amid the dark, but it was no use a hundredth time than it had been a first. However, once straining her eyes a bit it was clear that she was closer to her destination. There were faint lights in the distance that glowed a pale yellow colour. She recognised them as the streetlamps stood beside the town entrance. She had seen these lights many times over the years as she had been to visit Tadase in his family home.

Thank goodness that the journey would be over soon. Amu couldn't remember how many hours she'd been travelling, but she knew that she was incredibly tired and would greatly benefit from a good night's sleep. She could put up with a meeting between the Hotori family and her own so long as she could get a decent rest. Though the upcoming days would require her enduran-

_BANG!_

Amu almost leapt out of her skin at the ear-splitting sound and placed a hand above her frantically beating heart as she attempted to calm herself. Suddenly feeling very afraid and very claustrophobic in the middle of the darkness, she leaned forward to call out to the driver of the coach when the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. Only a matter of seconds after the first shot sounded another went off, sending the horses into a panic and a loud gasp escaped Amu's lips as they attempted to break free of their reins, trying to jump forwards, sideways and any way they possibly could to get free, causing the coach to shake violently.

_BANG! BANG!_

Two more shots pierced the night air and the shaking stopped. The coach became still once more and Amu found herself feeling brave enough to glance out the window. Something in the corner of her eye seemed to move in the darkness, but her eyes had begun to play tricked on her and so she shook the sudden wave of fear away and averted her gaze from the corner of the window. The lantern from the front of the coach had fallen off and lay broken on its side in the road, surrounded by shards of glass and the flame that had flickered away inside of it reduced to nothing more than a glowing ember. Save for that she thought to have seen earlier, there was little movement except for the grass swaying slightly in the breeze and the area had become deathly quiet - the kind of quiet that torments you with the need to break it, seems to swallow everything whole and envelops you in a state of fear for what is lurking within, ready to spring out unexpectedly and tear it to shreds.

Her heart racing, Amu took a few deep, steady breaths and, deciding that she needed to see for herself what was going on, uneasily reached for the door handle whilst trying to ignore the sensation of the blood pounding in her ears. As her shaking fingertips brushed the surface of the handle, the door was flung open and before Amu even had time to react a tall, dark figure came into view. She was about to shout when the figure leaned in, wrapped their long fingers round her left arm and roughly pulled her from the coach. She would have fallen flat on her face had the figure not been standing right in front of her and she fell right into their hard chest.

"E-EXCUSE-!" Before she could finish they turned her round and a cool hand was pressed across her mouth.

By now Amu had come to the conclusion that this person was obviously a man. They were tall, had a strong grip unlike any female's, broad shoulders and she could feel their muscles as her back was pulled against his chest. But even so, it didn't get her any closer to finding out whom this man was.

Right now however, the heiress didn't really care about that. She instinctively began to resist and struggle out of this person's grip. They on the other hand merely tightened their hold on her as she squirmed and covered her mouth harder as she tried to yell out for help.

The person tried to speak to her, but went unnoticed as she concentrated on escaping, thrashing about madly in a desperate attempt to break free when, to her surprise, they suddenly let go and slightly pushed her away from them. Amu couldn't believe it. They let go… just like that?

And without any time for her to move away; to twirl around and demand to know who had handled her so brutally or to save herself and bolt; a haze set in.

There was no time for Amu to do anything more as her world spun and her vision blurred into a dark and dreaded nothingness. The sudden pain in her head throbbed and she faintly heard the barrel of the stranger's pistol – the object she had not even known was present until it had made contact with her skull – drop to the dusty ground as they quickly supported her before she fell in a strong hold that oddly enough was firm and safe enough to make her simply give up and succumb to the darkness.

The fall into the abyss was quick and she was soon withdrawn from the world.

~.~.~

~.~.~

When she came to, Amu wasn't exactly sure what was going on.

Her eyes were tight shut, but she was sure that if she opened them her vision would be blurry. Her head didn't hurt, but it felt light as if her mind was floating which in a sense it almost was. Her thoughts weren't exactly clear and there were gaps in her memory. They flew in and out of her brain; spinning and twisting and turning in her confused state, but she couldn't make sense of any of them just yet. Though slowly she became aware of her body to find that - for some reason she could not hope to fathom - she was lying down. She expected to still be on the road where she last remembered, but, on the contrary, the surface she was laying on felt comfortable, warm and she found that after rolling over and onto her side there was a cushion beneath her cheek. She exhaled and on instinct nestled her face deeper into the fabric as she often would when waking up at home in the Palace. Her hair seemed to tickle her skin and somewhere in the back of her jumbled brain she noted that it must have become undone somewhere along the line.

'_Wait… What's going on? How did I get here? I was outside…'_

Still with her eyes closed, she frowned and examined the memories she had left.

_'Palace… Tadase… meeting… coach… meeting… Hotoris… Tadase… coach…' _she came to a pause. '_Coach… what happened after that?'_

And then the chilling sound of a gunshot rang through her head.

It all came back and her eyes snapped open, wide and frantic, as she backed up on the bed, moving quickly in her panic and ignoring the sudden pain in her back as it came into contact with the wooden headboard. She blinked rapidly a few times upon seeing the unfamiliar room and finally it set in that she had been taken away and was most likely far from both her home and the Hotori mansion. There was a horrible sinking sensation in her chest, intensified as her heart rate increased beyond belief and made her head suddenly very dizzy. As if clinging onto any hope she had left that this was just a dream or wild hallucination, she gripped tightly onto the bed sheets and pressed herself firmly up against the headboard.

_'What's going on? Where am I?'_

"It's okay." A deep voice that had her hairs standing up on end and a shiver running down her spine spoke up. "You're unharmed."

Amu looked forwards in the direction of the voice and her eyes landed on a young (quite young - only a little older than herself) man across the room, leaning up against the door frame end with his arms folded firmly over his broad chest. She suspected that the man was trying his best to appear at ease, but a look at his body language could tell you he was anything but. The way his hands gripped the sleeves of his loose, white shirt and the way his shoulders were firmly set in their place indicated that the man was probably feeling very tense - something that Amu just couldn't understand. Being in the position she was, shouldn't it be _she _who felt the tenser of the two?

Aside from this, she noted that he avoided any eye contact with her. Yet again she found herself utterly perplexed at his behaviour as he lowered his head more so, his gaze mostly on the floorboards or on his boots. When he _did_ look up at her it was only due to the silence. Amu realised she hadn't responded when he'd spoken to her. Not that she cared too much about it. He couldn't expect her to be the least bit talkative in a situation like this.

"My apologies, your Highness." he continued, actually with eye contact this time and in a tone that seemed the slightest bit regretful. But at least whilst he was actually looking towards her she could get a look at the man's face with its slender nose and chiselled jawline that - had she not been in a hostage-captor situation - would have had a hint of pink washing itself over her skin. However all too quickly his gaze went back to the floor again and the deep, midnight blue hair on his head to fell into his eyes, covering up his features once more in the process.

"W-Wh-" Amu tried to speak, but it came out as more of an uneasy stammer. "Y-You know me?"

Immediately she wanted to kick herself. That or bang her head against the headboard repeatedly until she knocked herself unconscious again. Not many people knew that even with her private tutors and her extensive education, the Princess had a tendency to let minor details slip her mind.

A repressed chuckle was heard as the man struggled to hold back a burst of laughter and he looked up once more with amusement dancing in his dark eyes. The sides of his lips twitched as he fought the urge to laugh and he raised an eyebrow at her. "Why, your Highness, you are Princess Amu Hinamori, next Queen of the Seiyo Empire. Who wouldn't know about you?"

Amu felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment, still kicking herself over that ridiculous question. She decided to move on to the next one she had on her mind before there were any more opportunities to thoroughly embarrass herself in front of the stranger.

"Where am I?" she asked firmly, changing her tone in the hope that it would wipe the amusement clean off of the other's face. Switching into her usual Royalty persona, she prayed that it would help her to get an answer from him. After all, she wanted to get everything straight and so repeated herself, making sure her voice sounded far more confident than she felt inside. "Tell me where I am!"

This time the man raised both his eyebrows, any humour washing away as she'd hoped it would. He straightened up and came forward, his boots making a dull clunking sound on the thick floorboards. He stopped in the middle of the room and then spoke as seriously as she had which thankfully had her flaming cheeks calm down.

"You are on the Shining Black." He told the Princess. "I'm sure you've heard of us."

The words made her freeze, made her jaw drop before she could stop it from happening. Her heart must have skipped a beat or two and her blood suddenly ran cold.

_The Shining Black. _Of course she'd heard of them!

As of yet, nobody knew who the crew were on board the vessel known as the Shining Black or what they wanted; all anybody knew was that several years ago, a pirate ship had appeared at the docks in the east and overnight people and supplies started to go missing. Some of the people came back beaten and bruised, tormented and terrified… But some were never seen again. They would go missing in the dead of night as the buildings burned in the background and the buccaneers ran rampant in the towns they had targeted. Wherever they went buildings were broken-in, raided, ruined. They shattered the glass and split open the crates, robbing and looting supplies, not hesitating to slash their gleaming cutlasses at anyone who got in their way. Though surprisingly, that was all that they'd ever take. Their thieving in local buildings never went beyond supplies for their voyages and when it came to people's homes, mansions and archives little - if anything - was ever taken. It became increasingly obvious that the pirates had been looking for something specific and yet nobody could ever figure out what or why. There were always rumours and whispers about the coastal towns and the little, rural villages; speculations and guesses as to what business these corsairs may have, but none were ever confirmed to be true.

And then it had stopped as simply as that. The last Amu had heard of the mysterious ship was no less than three years ago when she had been fifteen. There had been an anonymous hint that there was going to be a break-in at the home of a family who at the time had close connections to the King and Queen. Guards had been alert and stationed around the couple's mansion for weeks; however it seemed that the hint had been nothing more than a false and wild rumour taken too seriously. Since that time there were a handful of tales and every now and then someone would report having seen the ship, but there had been no raids, no break-ins and no more kidnappings. Amu had almost forgotten about them in their period of quiet. It now seemed that it had merely been the calm before the storm.

Back in the present, the pirate before the Princess continued on and leaned against the small table to his left. "Welcome, Miss Hinamori." He said almost wearily. "Thanks to the work of my dearest 'father' you now have the pleasure of accompanying us at sea."

Amu found she was able to move again and leaned forward slightly, his words having piqued her curiosity. "Your father? W-Who is your father?"

She couldn't help but notice the barely audible 'tch' that left his lips and the flex of his facial muscles as he clenched his jaw before he could stop himself. "My father is the Captain of this ship." He turned his head to avoid eye contact once again and gazed out of the small, porthole window above the bed.

His eyes elsewhere, Amu couldn't help but frown in thought. His expression didn't sit right with her and she saw his body tense up again as they had done earlier at the mention of the Captain. She barely noticed her arms coming up in goose bumps as she suddenly dreaded her inevitable meeting with the man in charge. Anxiousness and uneasiness began to settle in the pit of her stomach, weighing her down with all sorts of worries and nerves that wouldn't be lifted until the whole experience of the meeting was over and done with. But of course she didn't particularly want to come face to face with the Captain, especially if his own son were to show such annoyance towards him. Naturally, Amu found her curiosity growing to the point where her mind almost screamed for answers, but of course she knew better than to ask. Before she could even reconsider questioning the mysterious man, the heiress was pulled from her thoughts by the heavy clunking of boots as they made their way towards the door.

"You may stay here until the Captain wishes to speak with you. Until then I'm afraid you'll-"

_"No."_

Amu got off the bed and faced the pirate with determination in her eyes. There was no way she was going to be locked up here until the Captain decided he wanted to see her. She was _Princess_ Amu Hinamori, someone who would _not _to kindly to being told what to do by a pirate who she's only just met. How would she ever lead an empire if all she did was cower in a corner and pray to be taken home? How could she even consider being so cowardly and letting this- this _outlaw_ order her about like he was someone who deserved to have her obedience. If he didn't seem so genuinely sorry about keeping her on this ship then she'd have had him hung!

The pirate, who had been about to open the door, appeared visibly stunned at the outburst and turned back to watch her with an intrigued expression quite unlike anything she'd ever seen. To see the strange man with such a look was oddly satisfying and she allowed herself a small moment of pride. Her confidence improving, she marched up to him, making sure to keep a perfect posture and a serious face as she had been instructed to do so ever since she could remember. "I shall not wait until your Captain wishes to see me! I believe it should be _me_ who demands to see _him_! Even if that is not possible, I at least ask to see this ship. If I'm going to be on board this ship for some time then I should wish to know where I'm staying. If this was your Captain's idea then I ask that I speak to him. I should know what possessed him to bring me along!"

Needless to say, the silence that followed Amu's demands was a little awkward, but she felt good to have said it. Meanwhile the pirate merely stared at her, contemplating her request, and it was only then that she realised just how much taller than her he was. It was something that made her want to back down immediately and crawl back over to the bed she had woken up on, but there wasn't a chance that she would actually act on it. Instead of shrinking away as his eyes bored intimidating holes into her skull, she stood her ground and stared right back just as she should have done.

But upon locking eyes with him, she couldn't help but notice the brilliant the different hues of blue were in his eyes. They were like jewels the way they shone. Mainly dark, but throughout the indigo abyss were specks of lighter shades – blue topaz, sapphire, aquamarine… Almost like stars as they appeared against the evening sky, growing lighter and brighter as the night set in and her mind briefly took her back to mother's jewellery collection back at the Palace. They were... The word 'mesmerising' was the first came to mind. They had her seriousness faltering for a brief second as she found herself pulled into the deep, _deep _realm of those fantastic orbs. Amu blinked once or twice to get her focus back.

The Princess didn't think of anything other than his eyes and the gemstones they resembled until he spoke up. After a long, hard thought about what she'd said he sighed, reluctantly opened the door and stepped aside. Amu looked at the open doorway and then back at him, unsure what to make of this and frankly a little surprised that he'd even taken her seriously considering that she was effectively a hostage aboard a notorious pirate ship.

"You can see the deck of the ship for now. I don't think the Captain will approve if I bring you to him early. He doesn't like to be disturbed."

Feeling largely triumphant that her demands had been met, Amu wandered out into what seemed to be a short corridor. The young man followed her and paused to lock the cabin door as she studied her surroundings carefully.

He walked past her to lead the way. "Stay close to me."

She tilted her head. "And why is that?"

"It's for your own good." He said simply. Amu decided it best to remain quiet after that.

She was led down a short passageway; dimly lit with a few candles that produced dark shadows on the wood panelled walls as they walked past. The tapping and clunking sounds made as they walked echoed off the walls of the small space, making it seem larger than it actually was; an effect that for the second time that day made the hairs on Amu's arms stand upright.

Making her way down the somewhat eerie passage, Amu made notice of five other doors leading into other rooms, or cabins considering that they were on board a ship. The biggest was the one they were currently heading toward at the end of the passage and so it was safe to assume it would lead to the deck. Its thick, textured windows allowed in a faint, distorted stream of daylight that broke through the uneven surface of the glass, creating a peculiar pattern on the floorboards which Amu tentatively reached out to with the tip of her shoe. Smiling faintly at the swirly outlines against the pale leather, she failed to see her company glance back and chuckle at her childish behaviour.

Other than this, there were four other doors obviously leading to other cabins (strange, she'd thought that any regular ship would have only had one, large cabin above deck?), but it was the one at the very far end that had caught her attention. She had taken one glance at it coming out of her cabin and almost shivered. The grooves in the wooden surface were black with age-old dirt that had filled in the multiple crevices and hanging off the chunky, iron handles was a large padlock that swung from rusting chains. She'd decided to ignore the uneasy feeling that had started to build up and carried on down the corridor with the pirate who had just reached the entrance to the deck. He grabbed the handles and roughly opened it, momentarily blinding the woman behind him as the light flooded in and she held a hand up to her face in an attempt to try and block it out. Once her sight had adjusted, her eyes widened at what she saw on the deck of the Shining Black.

"I suppose I should welcome you, Princess." The pirate said. "Welcome to the Shining Black."

~.~.~


	3. Three

~.~.~

So strange and alien was this world, it seemed, that for a moment Amu could believe her eyes.

There were countless people rushing around on the deck of the ship either cleaning, rolling barrels, climbing the ropes and ladders that were attached to the sails and the mast or jumping down into the hold and into the depths of the ship. They were all yelling at one another so loudly it was hard to hear what anyone was saying unless they were close enough, resulting in the background noise being nothing but a messed up jumble of words and phrases that were completely unintelligible to the heiress' ears. Oddly enough one loud-mouthed pirate on the left hand side of the ship was even shouting abuse at a green parrot that was flapping around his head, something that Amu regarded with both interest and the feeling that she probably shouldn't get involved in the slightest. To her slight astonishment, the people didn't look particularly vicious or evil like those back home had described them. They'd spread stories of ruthless, cutthroat corsairs with a blood lust that could only be quenched by the slaying of the innocent; cutlasses and guns at their sides ready to take out their victims whenever they felt the need and were said to have a frighteningly ruthless disposition.

Although observing them from afar, the crew of this supposedly 'evil' ship appeared to be too tired and weary to match the pictures other people had painted for them. They sauntered around the deck, dragging their heavy bodies about with an effort that made them grumble and moan in protest. Overworked and sleep deprived, they still pushed on to continue their work regardless – something Amu nearly admired in them. Though in spite of her newfound admiration, as she watched them further she began to feel what seemed like some sort of pity begin to grow. They were exhausted, filthy and dressed in torn, dirty clothes and yet were still going about their work. As she was led down the steps from the quarterdeck the woman couldn't help but wonder; were these willing, bloodthirsty pirates or were they slaves?

"These men," she began; "do not look like pirates."

Her pirate guide had heard her over the noise. "We had to keep the ship moving through the night," he explained; "we're not often required to be on duty so many hours at a time."

"I see…"

Eventually turning her attention to the surrounding sea, Amu's heart quickly sank as she realised how far she must have been from home. There was nothing to see about the frigate's surroundings but the glittering sea and the clear skies; a fact that had her feeling lonely, isolated and uncomfortably out of her depth as if she were sinking into those very waters herself. In a futile effort to spot anything nearby she focused on the horizon, desperately hoping to catch sight of something promising. In the end her concentration was abruptly shattered as she was knocked sideways by someone rolling a barrel down into the hold and she hurriedly moved to the side only to come into contact with at least three more people who roughly barged into her. Amu fought the urge to huff. Was she simply invisible to these men? There she was in the middle of the deck, a young woman amongst countless males; dressed in a fine, bright gown whilst they scurried about in dark, dull rags; and with the most recognisable pink hair. She was like a light in the middle of the darkness and yet they still failed to spot her?

Ahead the young man accompanying her stepped forwards into the chaos and Amu followed suit, scampering away from the other pirates who were now spitting curses as her for getting in their way. Brushing their insults off instead of putting them in their lowly place, she ignored them and stayed close to the blue-haired male. He _did _tell her to stay close to him after all.

"H-How far are we from land?" Amu asked nervously, tilting her head back to stare up at the massive sails. They were strange sails, she thought. Originally plain and bright like those of any other vessel; the ones of the Shining Black had been customised in an intriguing way. They were mostly black, stained in paint or soot – which substance had been used she could not tell. It was as if a painter had taken them for an empty canvas and hurriedly ran a blackened brush across the surface, leaving nothing behind save for the messy edges that remained a creamy white and, most notably, the giant diamond on the centre of each sail. It was a wonderful piece of art – each white gem perfectly shining through the darkness with not a noticeable splatter or smudge of black to spoil them. Had Amu not had the knowledge that this was in fact a pirate ship, she would have admitted to herself that the grand sails were really quite awe-inspiring. There were three masts, with multiple diamonds swaying ever so gently in the salty breeze; the ropes attached clinging on as if for dear life as the wind caused the sails to billow with air, making the beautifully white diamonds swell in size. Though despite their impressive appearance, upon closer inspection it was evident that they had been in use for some time - the edges were worn and the largest had undergone repairs judging by the distortions along one of its corners. Old, worn and tattered in places, but still a truly remarkable sight.

"Too far for anyone to swim back if that's what you're thinking." The young man replied to her former question. "The wind seems to have been in our favour. We're too far out by now."

"O-oh…"

"You've been asleep for most of the morning." He added almost as an afterthought and Amu fell silent after that, quickly feeling too disheartened to say anything more. It ate away at her as they stopped in the middle of the deck and just observed what was going on elsewhere.

**_"IKUTO!"_**

A loud, deep voice bellowed from behind which caused the young girl to leap out of her skin as well as almost suffer a small heart attack. The voice sounded so harsh, so cold that immediately the crew stopped in their tracks and turned to face the owner of it. The ship fell unnervingly silent in a matter of seconds. Amu noticed the pirate beside her visibly stiffen, his eyes becoming a fraction wider and yet despite this he didn't turn round.

"_Ikuto!_ You face me when I'm talking to you!"

Slowly Amu saw him turn. _'Ikuto..? His name is Ikuto?'_

"Ah…" the voice continued. "I see our little Princess has awoken."

Knowing that this was directed at her, she also spun to face the speaker. Stood only a few metres away from them was a man dressed in a black coat that went to his knees; overly large cuffs concealing his hands, and atop his head a black Captain's hat decorated with that familiar white diamond stitched in the centre. His face like thunder, he took a step or two in her direction and she felt the planks of the deck shake and shudder as his oversized boots slammed down on them.

"Princess Amu Hinamori." He murmured, eyeing her with a stare that she could only describe as predatory. She felt a shiver going up her spine as he stared at her with cold, piercing eyes. So this was their Captain. If he was going for the intimidating look then it was working very well.

The Captain then faced the pirate, Ikuto. The frown on his stern face was so deep and so terrifying that Amu could swear steam was coming out of the man's ears.

"Ikuto!" he growled. _"Why _is the Princess on deck?"

A pause came before Ikuto's answer as he desperately searched for an answer, worry flickering across his features for a split second before he maintained his usual neutral expression. "She requested to see the ship. I feel that if her Highness wishes to see-"

"_What did you think you were **doing**, Ikuto?"_

Several members of the crew, plus Ikuto flinched at the outburst and silence once again settled over the deck. It took a few seconds for the Captain to calm down and after that he stepped back and spoke at a normal volume, though the words still contained a venomous bite that made the Princess want to back away and hide in one of the barrels that she'd bumped into earlier. "Ikuto, bring her to my cabin now."

Ikuto nodded obediently and they both hesitantly followed the Captain back across the deck; Amu clearly being more reluctant to join him than Ikuto as she began to unconsciously slow her pace, almost glued to the younger man's side as she edged towards him. Before they approached the double doors the explosive Captain turned to look back at the crew who still stood watching with interest.

"BACK TO WORK!" the fearsome man barked. Instantly everything became busy and noisy again.

The heiress ignored the cries of the crew and simply followed the Captain onto the quarterdeck and inside the ship.

When they went back into the passageway the yells of the crew sounded distant – which proved to be a relief to Amu's sense of hearing – and she was led by the Captain and Ikuto down the passage and through the padlocked door at the end. Though she knew she had to follow, she couldn't help but feel all the more hesitant to take further steps. What on Earth did this man want her in his cabin for? The prospect of being alone in a room with him was a very unappealing, rather terrifying one, but of course she didn't have any time to protest as the Captain pushed the doors to his cabin open with such force that it swung back and hit the walls with a deafening _'bang!'_. Timidly stepping into the cabin after him, she felt the anxiousness swell in her stomach again as she watched him storm ahead. Amu swallowed thickly, fearful when she realised that she'd be stuck on this very ship with him. As if being kept hostage on the Shining Black wasn't frightening enough, being kept hostage by an aggressive, demanding pirate Captain made the heiress break out in a cold sweat.

As she was led inside the cabin, she took a moment to sweep her eyes over it. It had to have been the biggest cabin on the ship, yet was barely furnished or cared for – a fact that she would admit made her feel rather sad. She saw impressive glass windows on every wall made up of small square-shaped pieces of glass all of different textures. Her mind took her back to the tiling in some of the bathrooms at her family's Palace as she gazed out at the ocean view it provided. The main stern window at the back was left open, allowing in a faint breeze that pleasantly ran across her skin and for a moment she felt a little less despondent as she revelled in the sensation.

But all too soon she had to move back to the present and continued on into the cabin. Side-stepping to avoid tripping on a tattered rug, she noticed that the quality of the furniture scattered about the room was also rather remarkable. The fine double bed towards the back was enough to prove her point. Bigger even than her own four-poster back home, it was beautifully decorated and engraved with detailed carvings too far away for her to properly inspect and it saddened the woman to see the inches of dust and grime coating what should have been polished oak. The dirt encrusted the bed, the desk, the table and chairs, heavy trunks and the bookcase which contained scrolls of dusty parchment from which spider's webs dangled limply. More parchment and quills were carelessly strewn across the desk beside melted candles and old ink pots that hadn't yet been discarded.

The Captain wandered over to the desk and sat at its chair, causing Amu to grimace at the thought that he was comfortably sitting in age old filth. He leaned back in it and relaxed, but never took his eyes off of the woman who stood opposite, fiddling with the edge of the stomacher of her bodice and trying to remain calm under his gaze when in reality she was anything but. She wanted to turn tail and run, scream; do _anything_ to express the fear that set in whenever the Captain so much as glanced at her. Unaware of her inner thoughts, Ikuto stood silently in the corner by the door just as he had done in her own cabin, putting his hands in his pockets and facing the floor as if he wanted to just vanish into the background and cease to exist.

Amu breathed deeply and tried her best look as relaxed as the Captain. This was easier said than done she realised as the moment her mouth was opened she began to stammer. "W-Why am I here?" she interrupted the silence in a voice much less firm than she had hoped. She would scold herself for that later once she was more able to think clearly.

He kept his eyes on her for a few horribly uneasy seconds before speaking. "You are here because I say so," he said simply and his tone was so official that she felt more like she was in a lecture than held hostage by a group of rugged outlaws. "You are here because I have personally chosen to _welcome _you aboard our fine vessel and, as you have been graced with such a fine offer, I must take time to explain to you the rules that I plan to enforce,"

Amu resisted the urge to groan at the complete lack of answers. Everything was going too fast and in a way she had not expected and so instead of repeating the question she decided to listen to what he had to say.

"Until I give you a fixed position, Princess, you shall remain in your cabin and not have any contact with other members of my crew unless I allow it, understood?" She nodded. "Good. You shall learn to hold your tongue. I would rather not have you speaking out of turn, answering back, demanding anything of me or my crew and if - _if_ -we ever let you off onto land then you definitely will not speak of anything you have seen or learned aboard this ship. Is that perfectly clear?"

Again Amu nodded. "Of course." Now that she was being allowed to speak, she decided she felt brave enough to push for answers and hoped that it was something she would not come to regret. "Do you mind me asking how long am I going to be on your ship?"

The Captain leaned forwards, shoving away a scroll just within his reach. "For the Shining Black secrecy is an absolute necessity and it is already unfortunate enough that we had to take you. The entire Royal Navy will be searching for you… It would be too risky for us to get you go. I'm sure you understand." He paused to lean back once more. "Get used to this ship, Princess. Who knows how long you'll be here."

That was not the response she had hoped to hear and it felt like her world had begun to shatter as she attempted to process his words. A dizziness swept over her and she grit her teeth to feebly try and hold it back. The knowledge that the man was deliberately choosing to hold all the information from her made her frustration flare, yet there was not a thing she could do about it. Surely he wouldn't just kidnap the Hinamori family's daughter – the _Royal_ Family's daughter - without reason. He'd have to be crazy to even contemplate it.

"Yes…"

"For that reason you also do not get close with any member of my crew. Obey these rules and life will be a lot easier."

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

"If you fail to obey the rules," he spoke in that calm, terrifying tone again and stood up. "I won't hesitate to dispose of you. Desertion has been quite popular as of late." The prospect of finding herself completely alone on some remote, unreachable isle was nearly enough to make her faint. "Or maybe…" he reached into his coat and pulled out a pistol, making sure to hold it within her line of sight and making sure that the woman could clearly see it to ensure that his threat would fully sink in. "Willing to do as I say, Miss Hinamori?"

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she began to shiver, though it was barely noticeable, as she eyed the barrel of the gun. The metal tarnished and blackened with substances she did not wish to think about, it fully registered that this could very well prove to be the way she met her end. It probably wasn't even primed or ready for firing, but that wasn't the point. Her blood had run cold long ago, but at the sight of the brutal object it had frozen stiff in her veins. "Y-Yes."

"Very good." He put his gun away in one swift movement and barked, "Ikuto! Take her back to her cabin." She jumped, but apparently it had gone unnoticed as the Captain pointed a finger at the younger man. "And _not_ onto the deck!" he added, exasperated.

Ikuto opened the door like an obedient dog and nodded. "Yes, Captain."

Amu took one last look at the terrifying Captain before leaving rather eagerly, followed by Ikuto who closed the door firmly behind him and then proceeded to lead her back to the cabin she had woken up in. Once inside, Amu took a huge breath in the hopes that her mind would stop spinning.

"That's your father?" she asked him weakly once she felt able to speak normally again, casting him a sideways glance and wondering how it could be possible that the two were related. Given the younger male's quiet personality so far, the Princess found it most hard to believe. It baffled her. How could two opposite ends of the spectrum share a bloodline?

Ikuto had been about to leave her alone when she'd spoken, his hand resting on the door handle. "Yes. That's Captain Kazuomi Ichinomiya. I-" he stopped himself mid-sentence and breathed inwardly. She gave him a confused look for a moment, frowning in confusion. However, she then decided to just leave it and sat on the bed, slowly taking off her cloak.

_'It wasn't supposed to go this way…'_ she thought woefully. Her eyes were threatening to tear up, but she fought them back, refusing to cry about her situation just yet. It would have been nice if Ikuto could leave her be before she started sobbing. In fact it would be nice to just be left alone for a while in the first place. How could she ever claim to be a strong leader if her tears were on show for all to see?

Removing her irritatingly suffocating cloak and abandoning it over a chair, Amu gripped the golden Lock hanging from her neck as a way of comfort. It dawned on her that this little necklace that her mother had given her was all she really had to remind her of home. Now that she had been taken so far away she wanted at least one thing to hold on to...

It was then that Amu noticed the silence that had engulfed the room. She had expected to hear the door closing and she waited to be left by herself, but as a few minutes passed nothing happened.

_'I thought he was supposed to leave me alone?' _she mentally complained. Amu looked up, preparing to tell Ikuto as politely as she could that she wanted to be by herself, but upon seeing the man's expression the words completely disappeared. Ikuto stood in the doorway staring wide-eyed in her direction as if he'd just seen the impossible. His body unmoving and his jaw hung open; the stunned expression took her aback and she found herself gripping the sheets of the bed as if it would help in some way.

She frowned, beginning to feel quite unnerved. "What? What is it?"

In the following pause, he noticed those indigo eyes move by a fraction from the Lock and up to her face. She tensed, unsure of what to make of this strange action and it wasn't too long before she felt the heat in her cheeks begin to rise and her body squirm under his intense stare. He stayed like that for a few moments as though he was examining her before he suddenly snapped out of it and the look of shock disappeared. That same calm expression he'd been wearing for most of the morning was forcefully returned and he quickly turned to leave.

"You might not want to let anyone see that." He told her simply.

"And why might that be?" she questioned, baffled by his behaviour.

"Because…" Ikuto searched for an answer for several seconds. "We're pirates."

And with that he left the cabin, shutting the door behind him and leaving Amu alone in her room.

~.~.~

* * *

**_Definitions_**

**Quarterdeck**: Part of a ship's upperdeck near the stern (or rear).

_(**A/N**: In the future, if I leave out a word or term you think should have been defined, please let me know in the comments or message me and I can edit the chapters as soon as I can.)_


	4. Four

~.~.~

The crystals were cool, she found, despite having had them in her palm for the past hour or so. Perched on the edge of her new bed in the cabin, Amu contemplated just how much time could have passed by now. It could have been half the day, half an hour, half a minute even that she had been sat there staring into space, holding tightly onto the golden Lock as she thought and so she hadn't noticed how quickly or slowly the time had gone by. However, she settled on the probability that it had been about an hour and definitely no less than that. It was strange for her mind to wander so badly, but with nothing to do since Ikuto had left all that there was for her was to sit quietly and allow her brain to take over.

Unsurprisingly, the first item for thought had been Captain Ichinomiya – possibly the scariest, most menacing man she had ever met. She had only been here less than a day – not even a full twenty-four hours – and already he'd threatened her with both desertion and a loaded weapon. To Amu it was no wonder that his crew were so obedient. She could only imagine how working under such a man must have felt. The nerves, the pressure, the feeling of walking on eggshells… One wrong move and they could be looking down the barrel of a gun.

She ignored the chill that swept through her body.

"Just how does the Captain keep such a tight leash on his men without a mutiny?" Amu wondered aloud, whispering into the silence that for some unexplainable reason she could not bear to break.

Sighing when she could not find an answer, she cast her eyes about the room that she would call her own for however long this situation lasted. It was decent and certainly not as disgustingly dirty as Captain Ichinomiya's was, thank goodness. The cabin was small – _so small_ and _boxy_ that the pirates had probably had difficulty cramming in each piece of furniture into the tiny space – and had a single porthole above the bed, though Amu didn't really understand why. Yes, it let in the light and made her feel less claustrophobic, but what was there to see out there besides the rolling waves? The gentle water that sloshed around the side of the frigate wasn't exactly what the Princess wanted to see at that moment unless of course she wanted to be reminded of her predicament.

Deliberately ignoring the small window and the view outside, she forced herself to look straight ahead at the rest of the cabin. She had already inspected the furniture scattered about numerous times – a writing desk over there; a small rounded table; a few chairs plus a deep, oval-shaped bath to the left… But she didn't see how on Earth she was supposed to use it without any freshwater to fill it up (saltwater wasn't ideal for even cleaning clothes if she wanted them to actually dry properly) or whether it was supposed to be there at all. However, she quickly let it go; deciding that she probably would not use it anyway.

Beginning to feel the boredom nagging away at her brain, Amu glanced over to the door and went so far as to hope that perhaps somebody would enter. No one did and she bitterly laughed to herself.

"Here I am hoping for the company of corsairs despite my being their hostage." She muttered under her breath with a scowl set on her features. "If someone were to walk in right now I can probably bet that their news would not be anything good, so why do I allow myself to make such stupid wishes?"

The seconds ticked by once the woman had finished talking to herself and she occasionally flicked her eyes back and forth just to check that no one would actually enter. Though who would actually think to come inside? The majority of the crew were out on the deck and the Captain was in his cabin (where Amu strongly hoped he would stay) and that just left-

'_Ikuto…'_

_A frown crossed her face as indigo flashed in her head and she found herself mumbling to the silence once again._

_"I don't understand him."_

Although she now knew what kind of person the ship's Captain was, that still wasn't enough to even begin to explain how his own son seemed to feel about him.

And Amu would admit that she could see as clear as day why people would fear him, why they would obey him she understood why the crew would behave for him… but it bugged her to no end why Ikuto would bear such a look of agitation when his father was brought up. The forceful tone, the clenched jaw and his body language in general had her curiosity piqued because why would he behave that way at all? Perhaps he disagreed with the way with his father's rules or how the ship was organised, but then again the Shining Black was a _pirate _ship… What else could anybody possibly expect? These were buccaneers; sea-faring criminals who were feared across the nation for their evil deeds as they plundered navy vessels and set small villages alight, leaving nothing but a barren wasteland of ash and dust where buildings had been mercilessly destroyed.

Frustrated, Amu sighed heavily. "Why am I thinking so much about that anyway?"

Once more, Amu swept her eyes over the cabin. The cabin that was located on the Shining Black - a pirate ship that she had no possible hope of escaping from and where she could possibly be doomed to stay for all of her remaining days if she was unlucky enough.

Could that really be true? Could she really have to remain here for the rest of her life? Would she ever get even the slightest chance to see her beloved family again?

Her heart ached with longing.

'_Father, mother, Ami, Rima, Tadase! When will I get to see them again?'_

The heiress wondered what they could all be doing back at home. She hadn't a clue what time it was, but on a normal day such as this one she would either be in her room with Rima for company or maybe she would be being taught by her private tutors how to manage an entire empire when she was older. Compared to this particular day (which she reckoned was the furthest she would ever get from the concept of 'normal') that perhaps didn't sound like such a bad idea right now, contrary to her previous beliefs.

And what would her parents possibly be doing? If they had not yet noticed that she was gone they would probably be meeting with important people of high nobility or with royal advisors. Maybe they were simply relaxing somewhere in the Hotori's mansion. She could just picture them sat in the parlour, leaning back in fine chairs and admiring the view of the sea from the balcony window whilst maids brought them drinks and small confections of some sort…

And if they had realised that their eldest daughter had vanished off the face of the planet? Amu had no doubt that they would have already noticed. But what was it they'd do then? She supposed search parties would be sent out and the guards of the Palace entrance would be thoroughly questioned, but it would be utterly hopeless! They would not go beyond the border of their city or Tadase's little town, yet here she was feeling half a world away, bobbing uselessly over the ocean and trapped inside this cabin where they could not hear her cry or beg for rescue. She tried not to dwell on the fact that her parents would be worried beyond belief. For some odd reason the thought made her feel a little guilty despite her kidnapping not being in any way her fault.

It was when there begun a burning sensation behind her golden eyes that Amu forced herself to stop thinking about it for good. Hurriedly wiping away a few lone tears, she turned back to face the door to her cabin. It had been locked and could not be opened without a key or from the inside.

How would she ever get home?

~.~.~

Marble surfaces and shiny, sleek and polished furniture lit up as the entranceway to the hall opened, pouring pools of light into the space as the Commander made his grand entrance.

Strolling into the room with an air of ease and a strong composure, Tadase greeted the royals with a deep, respectful bow, twisting the magnificent silver staff in his hand alongside the movement. The beams rebounded from the large, blue crystal set atop the cane and cast thin rays of cerulean light across the faces of his company.

"I am very glad that you could meet with me again, your Majesties." He said before briefly nodding his head to the guards stood either side of the King. "It's an honour to be in your company."

King Tsumugu, clearly impressed as always, nodded back at the young man before him and watched as held out a hand to shake the Queen's hand, something he did whenever he was in her presence purely due to years of tradition, having met the woman countless times over the years. With her husband however, he would only ever settle for a bow. Shaking the hand of the King was never permitted and he wouldn't dare try for fear that his two bodyguards would intervene. Yuu Nikaidou and Nagihiko Fujisaki may not have looked as threatening as some other guards he knew, but he was well aware that they were capable and willing to protect the King with their lives. It was due to this that, until a couple of years ago, Tadase's interactions with His Majesty had been very limited. It had never been a problem with Her Majesty though. Yes, Nikaidou and Fujisaki were entrusted with her wellbeing also, but the only constant figure at her side was Yukari. The maid was a silent shadow, but she was not just any shadow – she was Midori's shadow. Never speaking, never moving, and barely so much as _breathing _unless Her Majesty asked for it. Tadase admired the woman's dedication.

The Queen returned Tadase's handshake with a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet with you again, Tadase."

Tsumugu smiled at their behaviour before taking the lead, saying loudly, "I'm quite interested to hear those suggestions you have thought of for the expansion of our empire, Tadase."

The man in question seemed to recall asking to have this conversation with the King. He brushed a strand of fair hair out of ruby eyes before adopting a serious expression and a straightforward manner which he hoped would indicate that he was in no need of any small talk. This moment was for formality. He had called them down to the mansion's hall not for a chance to socialise, but for business; even going so far as to dress in his most formal attire in the hopes that he would appear as such to the rulers who were staying in his family home. A blue-grey suit fabricated from the finest of foreign silks and bearing impressive white frills were selected to make the best impression and – as usual – it worked. With every breath the man took the two parents were more and more willing to give him their daughter's hand. It almost made him dizzy with anticipation for the day he would finally get to see Amu walk down the aisle of the cathedral.

"Before that though," Tadase began, "May I have the pleasure of speaking with your daughter, Your Majesty?"

It took a second, but the King merely blinked before responding in mild surprise. "With Amu?"

"Yes, sir." The blonde replied. "I don't believe I've had the chance to greet her since last we met."

With some prompting from his wife, Tsumugu eventually accepted and turned to one of his two guards – Fujisaki – whom he ordered to retrieve his daughter from the guestroom she would be staying in. Slightly disgruntled that he should be sent on such an insignificant errand (surely it was not worth leaving his post and possibly weakening the tight security around His Highness' life?), Nagihiko nodded silently and was on his way through the mansion corridors. He reasoned in his mind that if he wanted to be of use to the King of Seiyo, he would have to follow his orders 'til the very end. But as he rounded another corner and began his way up the magnificent stairway, he noted in the back of his mind that, though he knew roughly the location of the Princess' room, he did not know the exact way there.

"Ah…" he whispered under his breath, pleased to be able to speak when no longer in the presence of royalty even if only to himself. "I should have found a maid to lead the wa-"

"Yes, Fujisaki?"

Pausing halfway up the staircase, Nagihiko glanced upwards to see the tiny doll-like figure stood as pretty as a picture on the landing of the first floor. With poise and a certain air of dignity despite her lowly status, Rima regarded the purple-haired guard with familiarity – something he was thankful for.

"Miss Mashiro," he announced the name cheerily and with a pleasant, kind grin that he was glad to show her with no one around to remind them of their places. "Are you having a pleasant afternoon?"

The China doll almost rolled her eyes at his friendly chatter, but felt warm enough to humour him with some sort of response.

"Yes, Fujisaki," she spoke wearily, feeling rather displeased as he came to the top of the flight of stairs, therefore suddenly becoming much taller than herself. She loathed the way she was forced to crane her neck just to look him in the eye and, much more, the way he found some sort of strange amusement from it; the way he would always be sure to bend down as if to exaggerate the distance between their heights.

But strangely there was no teasing today, no jokes at her expense or any behaviour that she would deem 'funny' from the man. He merely asked about the whereabouts of the Princess' guest room and – if possible – would she show him the way for future reference. Despite having asked to accompany her, Nagi found it a huge relief that she instead offered to make her own way to Her Highness' chamber and was quick to turn back and swiftly make his way to the hall where the couple and the Commander stood awaiting the pink-haired woman's arrival, assuring them that Amu's maid would return with her momentarily. Yet despite her promise, minutes passed by without an appearance from the Princess.

And it wasn't until the maid herself ran in; face flushed, panting and panic written all over her dainty face, that they realised that something was definitely, terribly wrong.

_"Her Highness is missing!"_

~.~.~


	5. Five

~.~.~

"Missing?"

Both the heiress' parents and Tadase exchanged brief glances in reaction to their perfectly timed responses, but all too quickly abandoned it and began to question the flustered maid who appeared to be so out of breath that it was a wonder that she was not already passed out cold on the tiles. She hurriedly brushed a few golden curls from her cheeks and repeated her former statement, her voice slightly calmer now she had had a moment to recover from her sprint into the hall, yet still she appeared choked and panicked as she added; "Princess Hinamori is not in her room, Your Majesties!"

Midori's expression mirrored Rima's as she stepped closer towards her husband and took his hand, drawing his attention towards her and murmuring in a thick voice; "Dear…"

The King could not react to her voice, however, as he narrowed his eyes at the maid. She squirmed a little under his gaze, but the fresh beads of sweat and the sudden flush of his cheeks told her quickly that he was more a bundle of nerves than angered. His blood pumped furiously as his daughter appeared in his mind – even more so when his wild imagination depicted all the terrible, unspeakable, disastrous things that could possibly ever happen to her. Tsumugu's mouth opened, but Tadase was the first to speak.

"Do we know for sure that she isn't in any other part of the building?" He inquired in a forcibly serious tone that in no way, shape or form accurately represented the pure shock and concern he felt inside. "Her chamber was the only place you searched for her, was it not?"

But the maid shook her head and with that one gesture that seemed to tug at all the hearts and hopes of those present it was made painfully obvious that this possibility was not possible.

"Dear," The Queen once more tugged at Tsumugu's hand and he looked her in the eye. It was strange to witness the following silent conversation between the two. It was purely comprised of nods, shakes, shrugs and other bodily gestures of which they had mastered to a fine art and the others were so in awe of this method of communication that their answer was delayed when the King finally broke eye contact with his wife and asked loud and clear;

"We are perfectly sure that my daughter is certainly not in this mansion?"

Rima repeated her earlier gesture and a short, uneasy silence ensued.

A finger on his chin in thought, Tadase, once more the man with the ideas, looked over and eyed the maid who swallowed subconsciously with anticipation. "What time was the Princess due to arrive here last night?"

Rima, for the third time that eventful morning, shook her head. "It should have been quite late, but I am unsure, Commander." She replied simply and that was all she could have possibly said on the matter. She was a simple maid. She was not aware of such precise details, though there wasn't a chance that she could have informed him of this without appearing petulant and out of line. Rima was sure he was already aware of this though, for the expression that flashed across his face – however brief a moment it was present – was one of disappointment and a number of others that she failed to place a finger on. They spelled hopelessness and let-down and it was as if he had been clutching at straws with his previous question and was now watching as they were roughly yanked away from his grasp – all in all a fruitless effort with which he prayed for an easy solution.

Letting out an audible breath that had the attention of everyone in the hall and idly tapping his silver staff on the marble in an impatient manner, Tadase did not make eye contact or utter a single word to any of his company until he had gathered his thoughts.

"Well then, this appears to be a relatively simple matter." He began after a minute or so. "All that needs to be done here – if you don't mind me saying so, Your Majesty – is for someone to arrange contact with those at the Palace and determine whether or not Her Highness has even set off at all. It's entirely possible to presume that she has perhaps left early this morning rather than late yesterday afternoon." And he went so far as to let out a small chuckle. "In fact, I wouldn't blame her! It would save Her Highness a long, dull trip through the night. In all honesty I am surprised she would take the trip by night – the roads can be hazardous in the dark hours and I wouldn't wish your daughter to be put into harm's way."

There was a nod of approval amongst the Royals and even Nagihiko who was quick to take Tadase's suggestion on-board, being rightfully concerned for the wellbeing of his childhood friend. For a few moments there were somewhat relieved exclamations throughout the small group of three (the servants on the other hand were not daring enough to join in the light-hearted chatter) about how ridiculously panicked they had started to behave and about how quickly they had jumped to the wildest of conclusions.

Eventually Tsumugu retracted his hand from his wife's and made for Tadase to exit the grand hall with him. They paused by the archway on the opposite side of the room as the King turned back to those left behind and said sternly; "Have contact made with the Palace. I wish to know at what time my daughter made her way here."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

~.~.~

The news was not what either of the Princess' parents would have ever wished to hear. As obvious as this could ever have been, Tsumugu still felt the need to convey his upset as he slammed a fist down upon the desk with such force that the teacup to his right was sent tumbling to the carpet. The tea would stain the rug terribly and it would take some hours for the servants to scrub the worst of the damage out, but at that point the spilled liquid was of nobody's greatest concerns.

"What do you mean that she left the Palace last night?" he growled, his ire increasingly being fuelled by his fatherly instincts which were currently screaming and thrashing about in horror. The very notion that his – _his_ – daughter had disappeared from the face of the Earth was enough to send his normally tranquil demeanour crumbling to the ground. He abruptly rose from his chair, beginning to subconsciously pace the drawing room as his true anxiety began to take over.

"I mean…" he began, now suddenly at a loss for words. "I… I…"

From his position in the armchair by the window, Tadase was quick to attempt to put his King at ease – if not for the man himself, but for the poor fellow who had been given the task of breaking the news and was currently stood in the doorway; face pale and visibly startled. "Your Majesty," he said, his speech rather rapid just in case Tsumugu were to try and cut him off in his emotional state. "This may simply-"

"_Why in God's name was I not informed that my daughter had not arrived?"_

In fear of a second explosion the Commander sunk back into the seat of his chair like a tortoise retracting back into its shell.

On the far side of the room there was a choking sound and all heads turned to see the Queen who cupped her mouth with a hand and sniffed, allowing fresh tears at least to stain her powdered cheeks. "Oh, in the name of the Lord…." Was all she could manage before her frantic voice broke and she was forced to make no noise louder than a muffled whimper. She could not even properly thank her maid when the silent woman stepped in to try and comfort the woman.

Although the woman was visibly distressed and though it pained the hearts of those around to watch a loving mother's anguish over the disappearance of her daughter, it did well to calm the King whose temper was dulled considerably once seeing the state of his wife. He began to slowly pace towards her, but he did not sit and instead of settling by her side he simply extended a hand for her to take. She did within a second and he placed it against her dampened skin in an act considered both of comfort and affection.

Now over his sudden outburst, Tsumugu took in a breath of air and lowered his tone to a gentle, soft whisper in the hopes that his wife would settle. "Wherever Amu may be, we can look for her." He stated. "We shall find out what has happened." He said, firmer. "And she'll be okay."

She nodded despite realising that his words were uncertain and his tone fake, working to console himself more than others. Tadase had also appeared to have noticed as at that moment he spoke up, catching her attention and attempted to reassure his Queen himself.

"Your Majesty," he began, rising from his seat and taking a step towards them. He stopped soon after, looking wary as if he were too cautious to invade on their personal space. "I'm perfectly sure that your daughter is well." He prayed his assurance would not sound as false as the King's. "Amu is a very sensible young woman and she is entirely capable of looking after herself. I'm sure no harm will have come to her and of course it could still be possible that there was a change of plan for some reason. Perhaps the journey took longer than expected. Perhaps she was forced to stop for the night and continue on in the morning."

Again, Midori nodded and wiped a tear from her eye, looking far more confident than she felt.

Before anything else could be said to calm Her Majesty, Tsumugu broke away from her hold and faced one of the guards who stood outside the open doors. "Guards, I want my wife escorted to our chamber whilst- Tadase!"

The Commander did not pause in his march until he reached the doorway at which point he turned back and stared his King in the eye – a gesture that had the older man silent, somewhat curious to hear whatever he had to say. "Your Majesty," he said, his voice hard and stern. "I think it appropriate to warn you that I intend to be fully involved in this matter and don't intend to rest today until I find out exactly what has happened." He stopped for but a second. "I shall have every guard, every officer, every official in this town on hand to help within the hour." And with a firm tap of his staff upon the floor his words were final.

~.~.~

It was as the news of Princess Amu's disappearance began to sweep across the nation that the clumsy parrot made it back to the frigate that bobbed gently atop the peaceful waves. The silence that had held the cabin in an uncomfortable grasp was abruptly shattered as the bird's scrabbling and fluttering reached the ears of the Captain. A wry smirk played upon his dry lips and he rose from his chair to watch as it effortlessly swopped away from the stern window, sending small emerald feathers to the grimy floorboards. He glared at the bird as it settled itself atop a pile of parchment on his desk, but eventually just sighed and latched the window shut once more before going to take his seat.

"Quite the short journey, bird," he murmured to the creature which merely squawked and hopped up to perch on his forearm. "That must mean word has begun to spread."

Another squawk sounded from the parrot's beak, as if it wished to speak to the man who now directed his attention to the bird's leg to which there was a small scroll bound securely with a piece of wire. Captain Ichinomiya was surprisingly gentle as he removed the scroll, abandoning the wires somewhere on the desk rather than leaving them to cause the creature any discomfort, and he even went so far as to ruffle it's feathers as a reward for its service.

There was quiet once more as Kauzomi slowly, carefully unfurled the scroll in anticipation.

"Hmm…" He hummed lowly to himself as he scanned the writing, shifting his arm when the parrot decided to rest upon his shoulder. "So the search party for our little Princess has started…" He murmured. "And in less than a day too. Very impressive."

He silently read the note once more before carelessly abandoning it onto his desk where countless other lay discarded and relaxing in his chair.

"It's truly a fortunate thing that nobody would suspect us for her kidnapping." Kazuomi continued, the cruel smirk evident in his tone. It sounded like triumph and evil deeds that were yet to come; something devious, despicable and to anyone who were present to witness his cunning expression an ominous shroud of darkness seemed to cover him like a cloak. "She's vital." He whispered, sounding like the maddest of men that had ever walked the Earth. Then he looked up, features darkening more so under his hat, and gave a twisted, malevolent grin to the man on the other side of the room. "Eh, Ikuto?"

From his position by the door Ikuto said nothing – partly because the Captain's disturbing behaviour had shaken his very soul into silence and partly because there was nothing to say. No matter what the reasons though, Kazuomi sighed heavily and narrowed his eyes at his stubborn son, knowing full well that the man could hear his every word and, whilst it may have maddened him to witness such insolence, he continued on still.

"We'll have to keep an eye on her," he began, watching his son's every move with eyes like those of a stealthy predator, "make sure she doesn't try anything funny. You'll be in charge of that, right, Ikuto?" Silence. "Make sure she doesn't do anything foolish." More silence. "Keep a close eye on her. Just… Not too close. We wouldn't want anything too unfortunate to happen, would we now? Especially when we know we are to keep our distance…"

It was like music to Kazuomi's ears to hear some recognition when Ikuto finally spoke; "No. Of course not, Captain." His voice was monotone – flat and dead of feeling – despite the fact that his insides were curling at the belittling way his Captain addressed him; as if he were a child being told to stay away from the heat of the fire. Unwilling to remain in the cabin any longer and wishing for a breath of fresh air to calm his unsettled nerves, he turned to leave, making the excuse that he had to return to his duties when Kazuomi's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Ikuto."

There was quiet as the pirate waited for Kazuomi to continue, yet when he did, Ikuto's blood began to boil.

"You shall address me as your father." – Ikuto visibly twitched – "When we are alone," the Captain said seriously, clearly so as to let the words sink deep into his skin; "you shall address me as is appropriate. The fact is that I _am _your father."

The reply sounded strangled, but clear. "Yes, father."

Ikuto exited the cabin without allowing the older man further opportunity to anger him. He allowed the door to slam shut with a force that rattled the walls and grit his teeth as the aggression washed over him, consuming his senses 'til he saw red and until his mind screamed at him to turn back and give his 'father' just what he truly deserved.

'_Because you're not my father!'_

The thought whirled round and round his brain until he began to feel dizzy and disorientated. He clenched his fists, cursing the Captain of the ship who sat at his desk just through the door behind him. He leaned against it, his head beginning to feel light and faint and his body breaking out into shakes that he could barely contain. He had no idea how much longer he could take the Captain's torment.

"You… Are not my father... I don't know what you did to him… But you were never my father and you never shall be…"

Suddenly very sick of being in close proximity to the man behind the door, Ikuto quickly rose, backing away from it as though it were deadly, and began to head for the deck, aiming to cool his head in the fresh air of the ocean when a sudden, near silent sound of sniffling had him frozen on the spot. The flames of his silent rage immediately dying down, his hands unclenched and fell limply by his sides as he stepped towards the door to his left – opposite Amu's cabin.

He knew who was in this room… And it hurt him to think about it.

He found himself taking small, tentative steps towards the cabin from which inside the woman continued to cry and Ikuto's heart clenched painfully inside his chest at the grim reminder that this wasn't uncommon at all.

What had he done this time to make her cry? What had the Captain done this time? What fact about her miserable life had he reminded her of? What threats had he thrown her way yet again?

Ikuto took a breath and hung his head low, making contact with the door as he weakly leaned against it, eyes closed and breathing loud as he tried to maintain his composure. He felt so utterly helpless, so guilty, so distressed. Not a day went by when he didn't wish he could help her; set her free; do anything to save her from this miserable nightmare even if he himself wouldn't be allowed to walk the Earth free ever again.

No… There was no chance of that. He was already stuck here. He would be forced to stay on this pirate ship for the remainder of his life, but if he could at least give her freedom; if he could give her the life she deserved and wanted, safe and far away from the Captain's clutches then that would be enough for him. That was all he needed. Because she didn't deserve this.

'_Father would not have settles for this.'_ he mused and glanced back briefly towards the Captain's cabin and seethed. _'__You never shall be…'_

~.~.~

The Princess had failed to move from her position on the bed for the rest of that day. The time had dragged slowly. Amu had never fully realised just how excruciatingly slowly a single day could take to pass. It occurred to her that this had not even been more than _half _a day and the thought filled her with a dreaded anxiety. Just how would she be able to cope day in and day out if she was doomed to remain in her cabin? The silence; the emptiness; the awfully slow rocking of the ship which lately had begun to torment her with its side-to-side motion that always seemed to want to take its own leisurely time… It all drove her mad. She huffed and was tempted to tear out her own hair. Surely she was already walking down the path to insanity if something so simple as the movement of the frigate made her want to scream and cry out in outrage. But still… It was slower than the ticking of a clock! It was a counter that put her back two seconds and made her stay on the Shining Black seem far lengthier than it had actually been.

So Amu was almost glad when she heard the click that signalled the end to her solitary confinement and by the time the sliding of the latch reached her ears she had fully sat up on the side of the bed and was eagerly leaning forwards in the hopes to meet her visitor perhaps a second or two earlier. It seemed to work and at that moment in came the mysterious, blue-haired pirate carrying with him a small plate and a badly-crafted goblet which leaned on its own base and threatened to spill its contents onto the floor. Amu watched in silence as he wordlessly wandered over to the table and placed the items down. He looked at her – actually properly made eye contact – and his dark eyes demanded that she come over and begin with the food that he had brought for her.

Obeying his unspoken order, the Princess slowly rose from her bed and towards the man, yet when she reached her meal she froze and found that she could do no more than stare at the food before her. She blinked once or twice, eyeing the meal sceptically. It consisted of merely half a small loaf of bread and an equally small block of cheese. The goblet which balanced precariously on the edge of the table was nearly full to the brim with cheap, dry-smelling wine.

Ikuto's eyes still bored into her body.

"Eat."

Instead Amu just looked back up at him, mildly offended at the underlying implication that she needed his directions. But even so, she once more turned back to her meal and hesitantly reached out for the half of the cheese that had crumbled onto the side. She warily considered her options. Would it be wise of her to accept food from him – a pirate?

Amu realised that as she was examining what had been brought for her, the expression on her face must have given her away because Ikuto read her like a book and dared to let out a deep chuckle in amusement.

"It wouldn't do you any good to starve yourself, Your Highness." He said simply and that humorous glint in his eyes (though a second later it was nearly completely replaced by a sort of seriousness) made her want to slink away and hide under the covers of the bed. She lightly flushed, cursing herself and blaming her hours of imprisonment in this damned cabin for her near-irrational suspicions. The Captain wanted her alive for something – that much was obvious – so why would he think of poisoning her so soon?

"Thank you." She said meekly as she began to tear chunks from the bread to eat.

Satisfied, it was then that Ikuto also took his leave, but he had only just made it to the door when he once more turned around and said; "Oh, and another thing, Your Highness," he began; "I advise you rest well tonight. The Captain has made his mind up and has assigned you your duty."

Suddenly incredibly interested, Amu paused to listen closely. "Oh? And what would that be?"

The second chuckle that left his throat brought her arms up in nervous goose-bumps.

"You'll be scrubbing the decks tomorrow."

~.~.~

* * *

_(__**A/N**__: Thanks for the follows/faves/etc so far. ^^ and to the anonymous reviewer for chapter 4: The family finding out about her disappearance was supposed to be put there. The two halves of the chapter take place at the same time and at that point it's not even been a full day since Amu is taken. She was supposed to have arrived at Tadase's home early that morning, so they wouldn't have known before that she was missing. Sorry if it was confusing._

_Reminder that feedback is appreciated ^^)_


	6. Six

~.~.~

Amu grimaced, her dainty features crumpling in an ungraceful manner as the lukewarm water ran back down the deck of the ship and back over her hands. Her expression worsened as she felt the itchy, loose grit that she'd been working to remove wash back over her fingers. It was all so undignified, so filthy that at first it had made her want to retch.

Her naturally soft skin was gradually growing sore and red as her palms rubbed against the wooden scrubbing brush she was using. It had probably been used thousands of times already – most likely since the vessel had first set sail – and the back was unusually smooth with wear, but the sides on the other hand were rugged with deep grooves and splinters and so Amu's fingertips and palms were rubbed raw with the repetitive back and forth brushing movements as she went about her work. She winced as yet another drenched and therefore dull and ineffective splinter rubbed painfully against the side of her hand. She took a moment to scratch the affected area before plunging the brush back into the bucket of water beside her and continuing to scrub away at the wooden boards on the deck. She sighed wearily as she let the water slosh over the surface and began to watch the crew go about whatever jobs they had on board until one of them yelled at her to get back to work at which point she quickly looked away and continued without fuss. Grumbling in a way that her tutors would have strongly reprimanded her for; she glared at a plank of wood and focused all her irritation into harshly scouring at it. It was an effective technique, she found. Though her aching back was hunched and creaked like a rickety rocking chair with every movement and her knees were painfully sore, the work was over and done with at a much quicker pace. The dried dirt on the plank's surface was removed quickly and was swiftly taken away by the water as it moved through the grooves in the floor. Job done, Amu moved to another wooden plank and, as she did before, aggressively scrubbed it, hoping that with the work done sooner she may be allowed a moment of well-earned rest. In her opinion, rest was something she was largely entitled to at that moment. She needed a break; a chance to let off some of her pent-up annoyance. Personally, she believed that she had every right to be irritated – even forgetting the whole 'being-on-a-pirate-ship' situation.

To begin with, the Princess had been rather rudely woken up at some God forsaken hour – the sun had not even begun to rise and yet there she had been, hauling herself from the warmth of her covers – and had then found that the wake-up call had been quite unnecessary as she had then been expected to sit around uselessly for perhaps a couple of hours or so whilst she waited for someone to see to her. Her night had been horribly long, lonely and she had found it incredibly hard to settle, so had barely managed to get a decent night's sleep. Had exhaustion not sent her off, she would have probably remained awake until morning.

But anyway, that Ikuto had banged loudly on her door before waltzing in – _without permission _– at the crack of dawn. Amu would have perhaps been less angered had she not been halfway through dressing _or _had he not decided to give her a long look over instead of apologising and leaving her be.

But of course not.

After almost diving back into bed to hide beneath the security of her covers, face ablaze with crimson and frantically covering her body with her clothing, and after asking him what on Earth he was doing he'd casually informed her that her work on the ship started that day and ordered her to get dressed before he brought her some food. She'd glared at the door even after he had left, getting into her clothes as quickly as she could in case he decided on coming back and seeing more than he should.

_'The vile man…_'

Honestly! Did he think he could just enter a lady's room like that without properly asking? Especially when she's in her undergarments as well! Who did he think he was? Granted, perhaps he was not as well accustomed to matters such as general _decency _as her, but nevertheless he could not be blind to it!

But no, she had then felt plain miserable – guilty even after having made such accusations about the man. Ikuto had actually knocked upon his return and though he didn't actually wait for a response (she had to remind herself that she _was _among rogues) she had to give some sort of credit to him. He brought her food and even told her that she could take her time as her duty would not start for some time. And so she sat and ate in silence, still feeling a little humiliated knowing that Ikuto had seen her in ways that were quite inappropriate, but also feeling what appeared to be regret gnawing away at her. Perhaps she was a little too hot-headed that morning. She may have apologised for making harsh assumptions about the pirate, but then again she had not actually voiced her opinions directly to him and besides, she was beginning to feel a little confused as to why he had bothered to knock his second time. Were pirates not also lecherous and vile?

'_Honestly,' _Amu thought to herself, wanting nothing more than to be left by herself like the previous day. At least she would not be out here in the blistering heat and aching from head to toe as she was forced to settle on the solid wood of the deck. She would have been a little less uncomfortable if the water was cooler and refreshing instead of the disgusting temperature that covered her hands and soaked her dress through to her stockings.

'_Come on now,' _she told herself sternly, feeling the hard-working, self-determined streaks that would make her a strong leader kick in; _'what were you expecting? You're not in the Palace anymore.'_

Amu kept telling herself this in her head as she cleaned, repeating it over and over until the words became nothing but a jumbled, confusing blur that had her shaking her pink head in an attempt to correct them. Sighing in exasperation, she paused for a second to readjust that bothersome cloak around her shoulders. Yes, she still needed it on. It was awfully warm and it restricted her movements, but whenever she felt like tearing it off and throwing it overboard she had to quickly remind herself that it was a necessary item if she still wanted to keep her Lock hidden. Amu had no intention of removing her precious trinket and besides, where could she hide it? She didn't feel the least bit comfortable in leaving it behind in her cabin, knowing for sure that at least one greedy corsair wouldn't mind going in and seeing if there was anything for him that was worth taking.

'_But Ikuto is the only one who has the keys,' _Amu reminded herself. _'Would he do a thing like that?' _After a few moments of thought, during which she found her cleaning had slowed considerably, she shook her head fiercely. _'No. He was the one who told me to keep it hidden in the first place.'_

It wasn't long until Amu found herself debating this issue inside her head, but she unfortunately was abruptly brought back to reality by a loud clunking beside her and she jumped, startled, as the bucket of water to her left began to tilt onto its side. She wouldn't have had time to try and catch the container even if she'd thought to because at the last minute it was skilfully caught by a member of the crew who in a flash set it back upright with not a single drop missing.

He breathed out a sigh of relief whilst Amu took a calming breath. "I'd better be more careful next time…" he said quietly to no one in particular, running a hand through his reddish-brown hair.

Amu looked at him with interest as he remained knelt beside the bucket, a hand pressed to its side as if it would tip over at any minute. Soon though, he let out a breath and picked up a brush of his own before getting back to his own work, something that piqued her curiosity even more so. He hadn't even acknowledged her presence so far, unusual considering that the entire crew was fully aware of her situation. The pirate was clearly young and it showed in the enthusiastic, vigorous manner with which he worked to remove the filth from the deck of the Shining Black, the muscles of his strong, tanned arms bulging with the effort. The work was tiring, repetitive and possibly the dreariest task Amu had ever been set in her life and yet there this man was giving it all he had whereas _she _had been exhausted within the first hour. He was most likely used to it by now, but still it was something that caused the heiress to gaze at him with much admiration.

It was then as she gave him said look of admiration that he paused in his labour and looked over at her. Amu felt herself flush, mortified at being caught staring so rudely, and opened her mouth ready to profoundly apologise for her behaviour, but as the words were about to leave her mouth the pirate, instead of glaring at her or snapping some sort of irritated remark, shot the Princess a massive grin, leaving her speechless. It may have been his reaction that had her gaping or possibly the strange sense of comfort that she felt from his gesture. In a way she was reminded of her friend Nagihiko, someone whose smile always felt warm and genuine, always reached his hazel eyes and made her feel like she was somewhere safe. It wasn't possible for her to put into words how soothing Nagi's reassurance would have been to her at that moment, but she was positive that when this pirate gave her such a beam it had the exact same effect.

"Hey!" he didn't hesitate to greet her in a tone that was uplifting and friendly. Amu felt relieved. He appeared to be a pleasant individual so far and there was nothing to suggest he was dangerous and so as far as she was concerned there wasn't anything to worry about with him. _Yet_. With such a display of welcoming, Amu felt that to ignore the man would be incredibly rude and so, though it came out sounding rather timid, she managed to give a greeting of her own.

"H-Hello."

"I'm Kukai!" he introduced himself in a loud, cheerful voice. "And this here's my buddy, Daichi!" A small laugh escaped her lips when he pointed over his shoulder to the green and yellow parrot perched on the top of the bulwark. Kukai chuckled at her reaction, the sun reflecting in his olive green eyes, making them glow brighter than they already did.

Glancing over at the bird, she calmed her laughter and, unsure of what to say, asked with amusement in her voice; "You named your parrot?"

He shrugged. "Well," Kukai began casually, drawing out the word for a couple seconds; "I was the one that found him, so I s'pose I get the privilege. 'Sides, he's got to have a name, right?"

Though she grew confused as to why he was being so openly friendly with her, she still continued to talk and nodded in agreement. It was refreshing to have contact with someone so lively and there was no reason for her to turn around and block him out. "Well, I suppose so."

"See?" he spoke again, beginning to lean back on his hands. "I found him on a tropical island somewhere in the southern seas... or something... and he wouldn't leave me alone. Tried to sneak him on board, but the Captain said I needed a way to make him useful if I wanted to keep him."

At this Amu tilted her head and turned her gaze back to Daichi who was busy cleaning his feathers.

"Little guy's great for all that communication shit the Captain's so interested about." He continued, seemingly unaware of his own words and Amu's eyes widened a fraction. Was he supposed to be telling her this? But he let out a bark of laughter and just continued, his fondness for the bird clearly outweighing all else. "He loves it! Gets to go back on land, after all. He'll just go out there, find a place to crash for a few days and eventually one of the Captain's on-shore folks'll-ACK!" Kukai stopped mid-sentence and started to choke on his own words, unintentionally making Amu jump. She watched, heart racing at the thought of the trouble the two could find themselves caught up in if he had continued to spill the Shining Black's secrets. He coughed and talked again in a much more panicked tone, face now red from his spluttering. "Woah! Ah, I'm sorry! I-I _really _shouldn't be telling you that! Uh, look, you didn't hear anything, okay?" he rubbed the back of his head and strained a smile, though it was clear that inside he was most likely a terrified mess at the thought of her ratting him out.

Meanwhile, Amu was at a loss for how to react. The two of them were not old friends or even acquaintances – she was his Captain's _prisoner _and yet here he was casually chatting to her about Daichi's role on the ship. Was his tongue that loose? Was he truly so absent minded that he didn't even realise he was giving what was potentially some of the ship's most important information to his Captain's hostage?

But eventually she decided it best to overlook this small incident and she slowly nodded. "I never heard a word." Was her confident reply.

Relieved, Kukai put a hand on his chest and breathed as if he had not taken a lungful of air for years. "Thank you," he said, sounding honestly grateful, "If the Captain found out about that… well I'd be facing the plank, or worse…" he shuddered, afraid of Captain Kazuomi's wrath and picked up his brush to start cleaning again, only this time with less energy as his mind wandered, most probably counting all the horrifying ways he'd be punished by the Captain if he got into trouble. He appeared to be in such a trance that the woman made a move to begin on her work once again, but she heard him mutter quietly; "Dear Lord, my tongue gets any looser 'n Captain'll cut it off…"

Amu sighed wearily. "I can believe that."

Kukai chuckled without mirth. "Yeah, yeah he'll cut it up all right – cut anyone up if he wants." And the he stopped and hummed with interest. "Ooh, yeah, so _you're _Miss Hinamori. Bet he's put the gun on you already, Hina–" (and he choked a second time) "–_U-uh! _If I can call you that..?" he asked. His hand once more found the back of his head. It must have been a nervous habit or something.

Amu half-heartedly shrugged her shoulders and slowly ran the brush over the deck as she answered. "Don't worry about it." She reassured him in the kindest tone she could manage, feeling the need to treat him as warmly as he had treated her. "I don't need to be treated like royalty. I'm really a different person on this ship; otherwise I wouldn't have been put to work cleaning the floors."

Kukai hummed again in response as he contemplated her reply. Then that friendly grin appeared on his face once more. "Well you're more important than _me _that's for sure!" he said, pointing a thumb towards himself in a way so oddly positive that it had Amu raising her eyebrow in confusion. "Ever since I've been here I've never moved very high up the pecking order. Most of the men here are older than me, so they've always seen me as just a young'un compared to them."

"Oh…" Amu murmured. "So…" she began, unsure of whether she should be asking any questions about the crew members. Kazuomi's rules from the day before rang in her ears. Despite this, she paid no attention to them. _'What that man doesn't know won't hurt him,' _she thought, however maybe against her better judgement.

"So how long have you been on this ship?" she finished her question and hoped she wasn't pushing her luck. She didn't plan on letting Captain Kazuomi know that she was socialising with his crew, but still decided to tread carefully just in case.

The pirate next to her thought for a moment. "Well, I couldn't say how many years have gone by. I don't remember that well… but I've been here since I was a child. I must have been really little too." A tiny ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. "I was kind of at the wrong place at the wrong time… Came across the Captain and saw one of his gang's raids. He didn't hesitate to bring me back with him."

Amu's mouth opened in shock. "T-That's awful!" she exclaimed. To go so far as to take a little boy for _that! _"So you wouldn't have seen your family since you were a boy?"

As hard as she might have tried, Amu could never in a million years imagine having to go through such an experience as a mere child. To her the idea of being forcefully torn from the bonds of her family was something similar to an image of hell. Though sometimes it didn't appear so, the Hinamori family was extremely close and it was only in recent years as she became a young woman that they had started to drift slightly.

"Uh, I never really had anybody important to me at that age," Kukai went on; "though at the very least the Captain gave me a home of sorts. Before this I was living on the streets." He explained.

"O-Oh…" Amu's words came out as barely a whisper as she felt a few heartstrings being tugged by Kukai's story. She couldn't bear the idea having to live on the streets at such a young age and she found it really quite astonishing that he had been able to live like that in the first place.

Above all of that though, the thing that startled her more than anything was how Kukai could talk so nonchalantly about his life. It was as if it were nothing. It was as if he were discussing the weather or the work or something equally as trivial, not at all the fact that he had been a homeless boy who had experienced great struggles with no family, no one to provide for him… He was not awkward about it as he spoke and he did not appear to be out of his comfort zone by any means. He wasn't sad, depressed or even a little dismal and he was even able to go about his work as normally as when he'd started once he'd finished talking.

Kukai at this point laughed and she realised that her previous thoughts must have shown on her face – or at least her confusion must have because he just shrugged and breezily said, "I suppose it's weird in a way that I've never been bothered not knowing my family. Some of the guys on this ship aren't that bad and we all help each other out. They're practically my family now."

"I see." She was once more surprised by his words and she felt the gears in her brain to slowly begin to turn as she considered what he'd said.

_'I didn't know the crew here were this close…'_

_"HEY!"_ a deep, threatening voice shouted from somewhere, causing both of them to jump out of their skin. "GET BACK TO WORK!"

The chatter ceased and the two of them rushed to grab their brushes and frantically began to scrub at the deck, working harder than they'd done before and ignoring the pain in their hands to make up for lost time. But despite this, Amu's mind once more began to drift and she glanced for a brief second at the male beside her. Such an unbelievably happy-go-lucky person – so _uncharacteristic, _so out of place in a setting such as this. But then again this was Kukai and despite having only known him for a few minutes, the heiress already knew for sure a few key things about his personality. He was cheerful. He was full of live and spirit and vigour. He wasn't afraid to greet the newcomer – a member of the Royal Family – like they were an old friend rather than the stranger she really was to him. Kukai had made her feel welcome and he had made her feel like maybe - just _maybe_ - she would have one person to turn to on this ship. It was ridiculous and absurd she was sure she would be considered stupid beyond belief, but Amu honestly felt like she might have found someone here who could almost be considered a friend. And it made her previously irritable, grumbly mood dissipate into thin air.

"Man," Amu heard Kukai mutter to himself; "so this is what you get for letting Daichi loose down below…"

Hearing the mention of his name, the parrot, Daichi, swiftly swooped down from his spot on the bulwark and began to circle around his owner, trying to find a place on Kukai's body suitable to perch on.

"_Oi!_" the rusty-haired pirate waved an arm at the green bird. Feathers flapped everywhere, flying into the man's face. "_I'm tryin' to work here!"_

She chuckled to herself. Kukai was not anything like she would have imagined a buccaneer to be. In her experience pirates were depicted to be cold blooded, merciless criminals, but not a hint of cold blood ran through his veins and in the short time she had already been aboard the ship, the multiple stereotypes that she knew existed back on land had been quickly and brutally demolished into dust.

To the side, Amu giggled quietly and asked herself the question: _'Is this _really _the Shining Black I've heard about?'_

~.~.~

Tadase looked down lifeless at the body that lay before him. He stared down at the driver of Amu's coach who was sprawled out in the middle of the road. Dead. Dead with a bullet lodged right in the middle of his chest, his clothes now near black with the blood stains from the wound. As awful as it was to admit, it had to be said that whoever had shot this man had an incredible aim.

The blonde-haired man finally turned away from the body with a look of disgust. The sight was finally becoming too much for him and the thick smell of dried blood was starting to make his stomach churn. Unfortunately though there was no escaping the grim sight just yet. The bodies lay in dark crimson puddles that were only just beginning to dry; the smell so strong he couldn't even begin to avoid it and he briefly wondered how the guards here had managed to remain here so long since discovering the coach. They had been here most of the day already. That morning word had reached the Hotori household that the vehicle that was supposed to transport the Princess from the Palace had been found abandoned on the grassy slopes just outside of town. When Tadase had heard he had left the Hotori mansion without hesitation and since then all he could think of was of Amu.

_'Amu. Amu. Amu.'_

He had never expected an occurrence such as this so soon. He had never expected the coach to actually be recovered and – if it was, which indeed it had been – he never would have thought that it would be so close to the border of their little town.

Moving on from the dead man, the Commander walked closer to the coach. He moved carefully around the other bodies; the two horses that had been pulling the vehicle, and swatted away the flies buzzing around his face that had been attracted to the unpleasant scene. He came round to the side of the coach that stood a little away from everything else and narrowed his eyes, inspecting it carefully. The side door was open and the coach was empty.

By now it had been made perfectly obvious to him that the Princess had not run off of her own accord and, though he had been considering it earlier, he was now confident enough to quickly dismiss the thought. Suddenly feeling very angry with himself, he shook his head as if to wipe out the thought. Why on Earth would Amu want to do that? Why would Amu willingly abandon her life and her responsibilities for nothing? No, she wouldn't do that and now he had something to prove it.

Tadase frowned and made a noise of frustration, remembering that he still had to find out who was behind this treacherous act towards Her Highness and ultimately the Crown itself. It would be an incredible understatement for him to state that finding the perpetrator wouldn't be an easy task when he considered that he had almost nothing to aid him in his search. He had not a single lead or clue and not nearly enough information to at least attempt to make an educated guess. All he had was a missing Princess, a few dead bodies and an empty coach and for a moment he felt absolutely useless. He felt weak and broken at the thought of Amu just disappearing from his life. It was like something had been torn from his very being, like something within him had been irreparably shattered, never to feel right again. What if he never saw her again? What if he lost her? What if he was forced to live a life without her? Such a life – a cold, cruel life – would not be worth it because he _did _love her. Ever since the two had played together as children in his family home he had felt something special towards her. Since he had grown – and her seemingly more so – whatever strange emotion he had felt had grown and grown into something that he could only describe as painful. Painful because of its strength, painful because of its need to be fulfilled and painful because whenever she was not there he felt a little more empty with every passing day.

Painful, yet beautiful and miraculous and completely exhilarating. He could not bear to lose the source of his strength. He could not bear to think of facing such a life.

But as soon as these hopeless thoughts arrived they were replaced by a sudden burst of fiery determination as he realised that he absolutely could not think like that. He would not allow her to be taken away or harmed. He would not allow himself to not find her. Any feelings that made him want to give up; to break down had to be thrown away. Tadase had to be strong. He had to stay strong and determined and motivated to find her safe and sound and to help her make it through. After all, he was her fiancé and he had vowed even before his wedding day to keep her safe, to keep her happy and he would vow all the more to cherish her no matter what. And so Tadase closed his eyes and began to mentally rummage through what little knowledge he had of this event because there _had_ to be something. Even if there wasn't any evidence at the scene to aid him any idea was a potential lead. If it came to the worst, at least he could come up with a plausible idea or a theory behind the whole ordeal and then build on it until he eventually hit a goldmine of sorts. With so little here anything was valuable at this point.

Then he had a thought. Was there a chance that whoever was responsible knew that Amu would be arriving in town that night? When he went into this idea, it seemed highly possible. But in the end it was still just an idea. A theory with no proof and he still had nothing to go on. He didn't see how he was going to get any more clues on Amu's mysterious vanishing act here.

And a vanishing act it truly was. Looking around he saw no sign of a struggle, no sign of any sort of fight. There was no damage to the coach itself besides the shattered lamp a few metres away and even that could be easily explained. There were deep grooves in the road and even deeper horseshoe tracks, indicating to the Commander that there had been an increase in the speed of the coach. The grooves were almost randomly drawn out in the dirt as if the horses driving the vehicle had lost all sense of direction and considering that at some point there had been multiple gunshots, he suspected that the animals had become spooked and had bolted, therefore the falling of the lamp – which had been loosely hooked onto the side of the coach – was inevitable. But still there was little disorder inside the vehicle – no rips in the seating; no footprints or breaks in the glass windows; and no damage to the door of the coach itself. There was no material scattered about the road which could have possibly been torn from a person's clothing and, similarly, none of Amu's jewellery to be seen.

Tadase began to pace around the coach, deep in his own deductive thoughts. With no struggle having taken place, it was beginning to seem highly plausible that the kidnapping had not merely been a coincidental encounter. Travelling thieves and bandits were known to leave quite a mess after one of their heists purely because they came across most of their victims by chance, so to Tadase it appeared as though whoever had taken his future bride had done it with the knowledge that she was somewhere nearby. The crime was clearly conducted with much planning and precision under the darkness of nightfall. The more he looked at his new theory the more he began to believe it.

"Commander?" Nagihiko appeared beside him, having been assigned by the King himself to assist Tadase in the search. He stood to his left, watching as the Commander inspected the sight before him carefully.

"They knew she was coming."

Taken aback at such a fast conclusion, Nagihiko could only blink and reply dumbly with, "T-They did?"

Tadase nodded, the serious expression still plastered on his face. With one last glance at the interior of the abandoned coach, he stepped back and began marching down the road towards his own waiting vehicle at the bottom of the slope.

"Excuse me? Commander?" Nagihiko called after him, at a loss for words at the man's sudden departure. "Where are you going?"

"To speak with His Majesty." he replied simply and with a tone of authority that had Nagi's mouth closed firmly shut. He slammed the coach door behind him and leaned out though the space of the window to answer the guard's question. "Whoever took Her Highness knew she was travelling here last night. I must notify the King and find out who could have possibly known about her plans."

And with those final words on the matter Tadase's coach pulled away, leaving Nagi stood in the road to make his own way back.

~.~.~

* * *

**Bulwark**: The ship's sides.


	7. Seven

~.~.~

In all of his years aboard the Shining Black, it had to be said that nothing quite like this had ever occurred. Ikuto had never supposed that the Captain, with all his talk of anonymity and with all the drastic measures he had taken in the past to ensure their secrecy, would have actually taken a step so large. Never had he believed that Kazuomi would have actually been daring enough to snatch away His Royal Majesty's daughter, but there they were. And there she was down there, still attending to her duty, scrubbing out the stubborn spots of grime that latched themselves onto the planks. It was hard to believe that she had royal blood flowing throughout her veins. It was incredibly difficult to believe that that mere servant down there had descended from the finest Royal Family who had ruled the country for centuries.

Ikuto watched the young woman with intrigue. He'd been doing so for a little while now, finding himself a spot on the poop deck and simply observing her actions from afar. He'd noticed that during the course of the working day, she had slowed in her cleaning significantly and had seemed to lose her enthusiasm to get the job done as quickly as she could and so she now sluggishly dragged her scrubbing brush over the deck, barely lifting even a spot of dirt. Ikuto lightly sighed.

"She worked herself too hard."

A shake of the head followed as he watched one particularly large buccaneer snap at the heiress to work faster. She forced herself to comply.

Really, Ikuto thought, who would be foolish enough to kidnap the Princess of Seiyo, let alone put her to work on such trivial chores? He had thought perhaps that Kazuomi would have simply locked her away in her cabin and allowed her to be driven into insanity (God knows how _he _hadn't lost his sanity those first few months) or that maybe he would have tried to accomplish his goal quickly, not begin to drag the entire situation out far longer than needed.

But just how long would this continue for?

He supposed he pitied her, though admittedly in a very slight way. He realised that perhaps he merely felt like she was too… unfortunate to have been dragged into this secret, wild goose chase. He once more took in her pink hair, her milky skin, her sunny eyes that were all so fit for a member of Royalty and inside he felt some sort of horrible torment that could only grow and grow once he considered the numerous and unspeakable things his Captain might do to the poor girl in an effort to complete his goals. Ikuto could see as clear as day that Her Highness was beautiful. It was almost painful to know his Captain wanted to taint that beauty; wanted to just use her for his own personal gain and throw her away once he was satisfied. Kazuomi's selfish cause had brought such trouble already. Once he finally confronted her, she, like every other poor soul aboard the Shining Black, was unlikely to find a way out.

Amu's relieved voice just about reached his ears and he looked over to find her thanking to the pirate who had just allowed her a short break. Ikuto took in the wearied smile on her face as she walked with a new spring in her step towards the quarterdeck.

He wondered for how much longer she would be able to smile like that.

~.~.~

The midday sun was already high above the coastal town when the majestic coach passed by the docks. It charged through the little side streets, taking the more direct route to the scene of the latest crime, its rich colours and gleaming royal markings a striking contrast against the crumbling bricks and dull hues of the poorer parts of town. People were evidently surprised to witness such an upper-class vehicle and hurriedly gave way, moving their children and their carts full of goods out of its path as it wound its way around the stalls of the small market up ahead. An ageing stray cat jumped out from somewhere in the middle of the road, narrowly avoiding a collision under the wheels, and leapt up onto a pile of crates outside an old bakery and simply sat there, watching as the coach passed by. Eventually coming to a stop outside along the waterfront, the driver was quick to allow his passenger out. Tadase emerged from the vehicle and cast his eyes across the waters, the ruby red of his eyes shining brightly under the glare. If the man had had to describe the scene before him in one word, the first thing to come to mind would have been 'unsuspicious'. Until he looked harder, of course.

The townspeople went about their daily business behind him, meandering about the waterside market and browsing through the stalls and the little shops as if they had all the time in the world in which to do whatever they pleased, yet despite the calm and pleasant scene, Tadase could not help but cast a frown in the locals' direction. Far _too _calm. Far _too _pleasant. It was as though a veil had been cast over the streets – a veil with which to cover up the far more unpleasant occurrences; to lull the people into a false sense of security. It was like sweeping the dust under the rug before the guests arrived; burning incense to cloak unpleasant smells or even simply pushing unwanted thoughts into the back of one's mind. It was deceptive. For example, that pot of sunflowers stationed outside the baker's window concealed the broken glass; that stack of crates blocked the entrance to an empty establishment – once booming with business only to be locked up during the busiest hours; and behind him those who unloaded their foreign goods from ships at the quay worked in a rather peculiar manner, scurrying up and down like frightened mice, heads hung low and fearful whispers cutting through the tense air. A woman walking past dropped a basket of vegetables and one of them jumped so fiercely that he almost stumbled back into the longboat bobbing beside him.

Unlike the locals, Tadase saw it all.

And then he let out a sigh – a long, heavy exhale – and looked around once more and was glad to see a second coach heading in his direction. He straightened up and watched it roll to a halt.

"Good afternoon, Commander." Nagihiko was once again away from the King's side to assist Tadase in their search for the Princess. "I hope you have not waited long."

Tadase was silent as the man wandered over, waiting until he paused to respond. "Not at all… Mr Fujisaksi." Truthfully he was quite unsure of how to properly address the man. Before he had only ever needed to address a man of Nagi's position as simply 'Guard', but, now that he was working alongside him, he'd realised that this was perhaps rather too brusque.

"Lively day, Commander." Nagihiko commented, ever the optimist and nodding in the direction of the locals, several of whom had come to a pause just to stare at the two expensive coaches.

"Indeed." Tadase replied, half annoyed by such casual chat during such an important investigation. He then turned directly to the purple-headed man, speaking in the most authoritative tone he could manage. The guard seemed to let go of any hopes of light conversation and Tadase mentally rewarded himself. Nagihiko was a good man, though they had only met on a few occasions, but there was a time and a place for cheerful conversation. "Fujisaki, what exactly was it that required my being here?" he asked, glancing back at the market. "I admit that I'm sceptical of gaining any knowledge of Her Highness' disappearing act here…"

Tadase was mildly surprised to find that Nagihiko let out a chuckle at this. "As was I, Commander," the man began and soon after his jovial tone had started to slowly fade away into something more serious; "but it appears that last night – at around the time Her Highness was expected to arrive – a few of the locals noticed some particularly suspicious behaviour, sir."

"Suspicious?"

The guard nodded. "Well, sir," he continued; "as well as Her Highness' disappearance, there has also been a number of robberies in the area." He gestured to some of the buildings, most of which Tadase had spotted earlier. The man once more found his attention directed to those crates and that pot of sunflowers. Well, that explained it. Theft. But, in all honesty, the Commander couldn't help but wonder where the guard possibly intended to go with this and he frowned rather intensely as he tried to puzzle it out.

"Fujisaki," he began, failing to see the relevance; "I understand that you've a reason for bringing me here today, but I must say I'd prefer that you cut to the chase and explained how this all connects to Her Highness."

"I couldn't recall every witness' account, but I've heard from local police officers that several residents reported a large gathering of people alongside the waterfront." Nagihiko turned to face the town and gestured towards the buildings. "Further into the town behind us here, sir, it appears this group was spotted again making their way through the side streets, towards the border."

"And towards the road on which Her Highness was travelling." Tadase added in, mumbling softly and staring the way the guard had pointed. His brows knit firmly together and a hand on his chin in thought, Tadase contemplated it all and wondered whether or not there was truly any link to Amu's abduction.

As if sensing the man's struggling thought process, Nagi leant forwards and said; "A number of these people are genuinely fearful… They have not seen robbery on such a grand scale for some years now, sir." He glanced over at the empty shops and the boarded-up windows with a somewhat sorrowful look in his eye and a sympathy for even the poorest people that he had felt ever since he left the filthy, scummy streets as a teenager for something much more pleasant; something worthwhile that made him feel like he could do his part to protect those vulnerable peasants, however indirectly.

"And so it would seem that we are searching for a group of criminals with an overload of stolen goods and who have since disappeared from sight…" Tadase sighed in defeat. "It's vague, but at least it's something." He reasoned before facing the guard and taking on an authoritative tone, preparing to issue an order when before the first word had even fallen from his tongue he was interrupted by a coarse-sounding, throaty–

"_Commander?"_

Tadase abruptly stopped and slowly turned to regard the speaker with a stern expression. "I'm sorry, sir?" He asked, watching the old man who had appeared to his left curiously. The man held his head high, his wispy grey beard seemingly hanging to his wrinkled chin by a single hair and he hobbled toward them on his one bad ankle with an ease that came with years of disability and constant practice. When he spoke, he spoke clearly, if a little hushed towards the ends of his sentences where he had to pause and take a steadying breath before the next.

"Pardon the interruption, my good men," the elderly man said, leaning on a walking stick and looking from one man to the other; "But I've been meanin' to look out fer whomever's in charge here."

"That would be myself, sir." Was all that the Commander said in reply. To the side Nagihiko remained silent, waiting for the old man to continue.

"These… These robberies, sirs," he gestured towards the vacant shops; "Well, I know there aren't a whole lot of us here that managed to catch the rascals what did it all, but-but I'll tell you something, Commander," Tadase merely nodded to show the old man he was following. "Last night, out here in these docks, they moored – right over there, see – and a lot of 'em, they were. _A lot of 'em!_ They come down here, break down the windows, bash in the doors… Armed of course. Knives and muskets and barrels… Anyway…

"You see, sirs, my old legs…" a humourless bark of laughter. "They're not quite what they used to be. All I were able to do were to stay under cover in that alleyway over there." He breathed a lengthy sigh, a hand to his chest and Tadase saw the pure relief the man's pale face. "My thanks to the Lord in heaven that they failed to pick me out 'a them shadows. You… You should 'a seen those dirty thieves, sir. Like cowards, they are! Doin' their dirty work an' the like when no one can see them an' then high-tailin' out with their stolen goods all tucked away nicely in that ship of theirs!"

Tadase's gaze hardened, his heart stopping in his chest as he considered what could have perhaps been one of the worst possibilities - if not for Amu herself, but for the small little town and the peace that had been established in the years that had passed. "Ship?"

A nod.

"Do you mean... Pirates..?"

The old man hung his head and nodded – his expression one of grim acceptance.

The Commander's mind reeled and his blood ran cold. He could not find the words to so much as begin to describe the dreaded implications behind such a claim, but he knew that, whatever they were, none would bode well for Her Highness and he found himself captured in the stony grip of fear for his fiancée. Chilled to the very core and with hesitancy, Tadase turned to the guard beside him and managed to ask; "Fujisaki… Would you mind telling me exactly what was taken?"

"I believe the majority of the goods was made up of gunpowder, Commander, as well as several firearms, netting, and a plentiful supply of alcohol and food."

"How much food?"

"A great amount of food, sir." Nagi responded. "Some small shops have been completely cleared out. Business will be doing quite poorly around here for some time."

Tadase furrowed his brow, rubbing his temples as light began to shine on the Princess' disappearance. "Not even the most unfortunate beggar could take that much for his own supply…" he stated, mostly to himself.

Realising the old man's words to have been true, he now knew it would be a struggle to accept. A struggle, definitely, but also the only thing he could possibly do and he would have been a liar to say that didn't make him feel as utterly helpless as he had been back at the scene of the crime. But, of course, he dragged himself from the dirt down in that pit of hopelessness he had fallen into and stood on his own two feet, gathering every ounce of strength from within his body and mustering the will to move forward. Amu may have been out of his reach at that point in time, but he sure as hell wouldn't let her stay there. She was so horribly out of reach, but he would move heaven and Earth just to place her within an arm's length.

But still…

"It's been a while since they last dared to show their face in these waters..." Tadase growled. Not in years had he seen occasions similar to this. Not in years had those criminals of the sea touched their peaceful little town and swept the place clean of anything valuable. It was as clear as day - those scoundrels had been stocking up their supplies for their voyage. He had for most of his life held a sort of loathing for pirates such as these, but when Amu had been thrown into their dirty little deeds… Well, it made him sick. His face had paled a few shades and his heart had started to pump a few beats quicker in an unfortunate mix of fear and terror and _rage_ that he feared could not be calmed until Her Highness was once more safe and by his side. If his fiancée had been harmed in any way by these filthy, murderous pirates he would personally see to it that they all hung for their crimes and were disposed of into the sea where they had lived their unlawful lives. He glanced back at the calm sea and at the horizon, half hoping that he would spot a faraway ship in the distance and that his wife-to-be would be stood on the deck calling for him to notice her, unharmed and eager to come back home and into his arms where she belonged.

Nagi drew the Commander's attention once more as he glanced towards the waterfront, his face now ashen and eyes wide with a fear or shock – which one Tadase could not pinpoint – and asked; "There… There had not been a pirate sighting in this area for many years… Are we… Can we be positive?"

"I'd say it's highly likely." Tadase replied, his voice sounding rather weary all of a sudden as a new thought had formed in his brain;

'_Dear God, how shall I tell His Majesty?'_

"You know…" the old man, who had remained silent for a short while up 'til now, heaved a sigh, casting his gaze towards the waters that quivered under the sudden breeze and it was only now that Tadase seemed to notice the tan-coloured coarseness of his skin which came from constant travel, the sea salt, the sunrays beating down day after day. "I once spent a great deal of my time upon these magnificent seas of ours. I've been at the mercy of these men before..." He swallowed, jaw ridged and fingers running over and over the stick in his hand. "I could not believe me eyes. If it were possible to stop them fer good... Would you do that, Commander, sir?"

"I assure you," Tadase began somewhat gravely; "that if it is true and that if we do indeed come across these scoundrels, the entire Royal Navy will be notified and I shall see to it that they are sent to the bottom of the sea. Unless of course they can be brought to the gallows first."

And with this the man, seemingly satisfied gave the man a grateful smile quite unlike anything the other two had expected from him and, quietly mumbling about how the words had put him at ease, bid them good day soon after and wandered off back towards the town. Tadase watched him leave, admiration evident in his eyes as he took in the retreating form of the gentlemen who he was sure had sailed the seas in his country's honour for many years.

There was a period of quiet then. The noise from the locals still continued on in the background, yet all that the Commander could bring himself to pay attention to was the gentle whistle of the wind as it swept across the water's surface, bringing a cool gust up onto the land and past his ankles. The wind had travelled from across the ocean – the entire ocean, for in this direction there was nothing to intercept the air or waves until you reached the nearest continent – and perhaps had even passed the vessel which was currently holding Amu hostage. With that thought he turned his towards the workers still beside the quay. It was only now that he could guess why the men appeared so afraid. Any sane merchant sailor would quake in his boots with the threat of being pillaged.

Tadase exhaled heavily. "They were stocking up provisions for their voyage... I'll bet my entire fortune they knew Her Highness was coming that night."

Nagihiko tried to tread with caution. "With all due respect, Commander, how is it that they would have known?"

"They have their ways. They're sneaky rats." He answered. "We've got to find them immediately." But his mind screamed: '_Where was she now? What had they done to her? Where had they taken her?'. _"And perhaps, until then, I may need to speak with some of these merchant sailors… How did these criminals manage to escape our sights so quickly?" he added, almost as an afterthought.

But then there was the far more pressing, far more worrying question;

_'What do they want with the Princess of Seiyo?'_

_ "Our Princess held hostage in the hands of pirates…" Tadase closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. "God help us all."_

_~.~.~_

* * *

_**Definitions**_

_**Poop deck**__: The deck above the roof of the stern/Captain's cabin._

_(__**A/N**__: Wow okay so I'm really unhappy with this chapter. I just feel like it's really weak and I could have come up with a way far more interesting for Tadase to come to the conclusion that pirates are involved. But all I could think would be best was to have an eye witness…_

_But whatever. I've changed this chapter so much that I don't really want to face more editing. I'll try and make up for it at some point.) _


	8. Eight

~.~.~

Finally. _Relief_. Relief from hours and hours spent organising the galley and hauling spare rope and maintaining the level of cleanliness needed to satisfy the Captain's expectations. Apparently, a tidy deck was highly valued among these men – almost as highly valued as it was back at the Palace where maids glided along gleaming, stone corridors and scrubbed the tiling and dusted the chandeliers and, for the first time in her entire life, Amu was starting to understand how her often underappreciated servants must have felt. Her body ached, her hands blistered, her dress stained… She had perhaps thought that scrubbing the decks would have been a meagre task and that at some point she could have possibly slipped away for a quiet hour or two away from these rogues that held her hostage. But no, her day was quite the opposite.

That's why, after a lengthy first full day (and it was hours after the sun had dipped below the horizon), Amu had been positively _relieved _to be told that her day was done and that she was free to finish on the quarterdeck and make her way back to her cabin. If she hadn't been so exhausted, she might have been tempted to give the speaker a hug instead of the simple 'thank you' which she deemed not appropriate enough to fully express her delight, but instead had simply wandered aft and inside, ready to collapse into her bedding and forget about her situation for just a moment – just enough, anyway, to fall into a peaceful slumber. The lighting was dim; the corridor only illuminated by a single flickering flame that danced atop a messy, awkward lump of wax and wick beside the doors behind her. She made an effort to slam them shut before the nightly chill could snuff the spark out and leave her drowned in darkness. The shadows suddenly had lives of their own and they leapt and frolicked about the empty space hauntingly like tricksters of the night who wished to make her head spin and heart race until she broke down and screamed out – a desperate, heart-wrenching scream – for release of their torment. To tell the truth, things seemed to be on the tricksters' side she realised as the shifting light combined with the sudden rise and fall of the ship's body had a rather dizzying effect. The sleep deprivation, the fatigue, a trick of the eyes and the unexpected movement…

A wave hit the bow of the Shining Black and Amu stumbled forwards, slumping against a door to her left.

"_Lord, just let me rest."_

With her prayer whispered into the silence Amu firmly grasped the handle of the door, shifting the weight she had supported up against the frame, and twisted. A heavy, bitter feeling of disappointment rose once she found it would not turn and she huffed. She didn't know where Ikuto was, but surely he would have known to unlock her cabin for her to return to unless, for some reason, he felt the need to make her life significantly harder in some way. Amu growled lowly at the thought and yanked on the handle, harder this time, but still to no avail and in her foggy, hazed mind uttered a particularly foul curse towards whoever had decided to keep her cabin door locked. Her next huff of frustration was louder this time. She without thinking rose a fist and, with a strength that quite surprised her when considering that her arms felt like they would detach themselves from their sockets and limply fall to the ground given the slightest prod, began to bang loudly on the door.

"Come on," she muttered.

_BANG!_

"Why won't it open?"

_BANG, BANG, BA-_

"_**I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU LOT TO GO AWAY!"**_

The Princess froze.

Blinking once, twice, three times, Amu lowered her balled fist and shook her head, staring dumbfounded at the wooden object mere inches away from her nose. Had she become so horribly weary that now even her ears were playing dirty tricks on her? But when the sudden voice so sharp and piercing as the blade of a new knife had flared up from behind the cabin door had been so very _real _and threatening could it possibly have been nothing more than a mild hallucination? Amu wondered if the tricksters that still flew across the walls, their presence as foreboding and as eerie as deathly spirits, had played a part. Her tongue threatened to stutter and stumble over the words it was made to form, but she managed forced out a wavering; "I'm sor-?"

"_**LEAVE!"**_The voice was back and cutting as it had been before. _"LEAVE BEFORE I COME OUT THERE AND STRING YOU TO THE SPARS!"_

"A-! I'm-I'm sorry!" Amu gasped out, shaking her head as if to rid herself of the sleepy fog that had shrouded her brain. "I thought that this was my cabin!" she added as if it would further help her case, stepping back from the stranger's door and turning to reach her own (because now that her mind was clearer, she seemed to remember her cabin being on the right-hand side of the corridor and looking at the situation now noticed that she was on the left) when another utterance stopped her in her tracks.

"Wait." The voice ordered.

Perhaps against her better judgement, Amu did just that.

With an ear-splitting creak that rivalled those produced by the Shining Black itself and the screech of a rusty lock, the door was slowly, gently opened with a sense of caution. Amu stepped back so to give some space to whoever was behind it and watched with curiosity as the person themselves appeared.

She poked her head out from behind the door with all the hesitancy of a timid mouse, though her eyes – alive with some sort of fierce emotion, even if they did occasionally dart from side to side or up to down erratically – seemed to scream to her unwelcome visitor that if she got too close she could find herself burned. Amu didn't doubt that she could find herself in trouble with this stranger. She wasn't much taller than Amu and she looked slim, yet wearied, but she carried a demeanour that reminded the heiress very much of some sort of wild animal; a jaguar perhaps that appeared beautiful and stunning, but also with the power to become fierce and strong (if the life within her lilac eyes was anything to go by) when it was required.

But despite all this, the thing which Amu found to hit her the hardest was simply the fact that there was another woman on board.

A _woman._

Didn't pirates deem it to be unlucky to sail with a woman aboard? In the short time she had spent on the Shining Black, Amu had only been in the company of men – tough buccaneers hardened by sun and sea salt – and had never observed any females amongst the group as they went about their work up on the decks. And it sent a sort of alarm through her fatigued body because it was obvious to her now that Captain Ichinomiya was keeping other women aboard and with that realisation the feeling only strengthened as she wondered _'What kind of ghastly purpose could be possibly have in keeping us on his ship?'_.

She looked the stranger in the eye. For how long had she been kept here? How had she come to be here at all?

The woman, lightly brushing dull golden tresses from the side of her face and mumbling quietly to herself, looked Amu up and down, her eyes performing a thorough examination of this new recruit – from the hem of her dirty dress to the top of her pink head.

"I thought we had a newcomer on board…" she whispered, the words but a breeze of air. She initiated eye contact and Amu was at a loss for words. With nothing to say, she stood and waited.

"Your Highness…" the woman started. "Correct?"

Amu blinked before nodding slowly. "Yes." She nodded again, firmer this time and gave a more confident; "Yes."

The blonde for a split second lowered herself in a gesture that was almost a bow. "It's a pleasure." She said quickly. "My name is Utau."

The heiress smiled at the introduction. For whatever reason, it was pleasant to have an exchange such as this and so she returned the bow of the head. "Amu." She said as her own little way of a proper introduction.

Utau had opened her mouth to reply when all of a sudden her body froze over; her eyes now wide with fear and she subconsciously pressed herself into the doorframe, one hand on the door as if to slam it shut.

"Come in." she said abruptly.

Amu, puzzled, was about to protest when she heard the scuffling outside the doorway to the deck and turned to see the darkened silhouettes through the windows, stumbling drunkenly forwards.

"Uh- I-I- Um, I'm not supposed to have any contact with any members of the crew!" she stammered as Utau began to beckon her into the cabin. She added a weak; "Captain's orders!" as if it would have any effect on Utau's perception. It didn't, unfortunately.

"Don't worry about the Captain."

What an odd statement, Amu thought. In fact, 'odd' was probably an understatement to say the very least. How could she bring herself to not worry about the Captain – that man who held the crew in a vice-like grip and seemingly played on fear and torment in order to keep them in line? He had dragged her aboard this God-forsaken craft; thrown her into the cabin across the hallway; he made her stare down the barrel of a gun; had practically locked her up and thrown away the key all for reasons that he wasn't yet willing to share with the woman herself. Yet here was this woman – this young, mysterious woman – telling her to not worry about Captain Ichinomiya or the consequences their interaction may bring should he suspect so much as a single thing.

No. The thought had her all light-headed. She couldn't do it. She may have allowed herself to socialise with Kukai, but to break the Captain's rules only feet away from his own cabin felt like something entirely different. Her dearest apologies to this woman and her words of reassurance – that so very nearly lured her into some sort of sense of security – but she just couldn't.

But then the awful low thud of boots and the barks of harsh laughter as the silhouettes met the doors resounded through the little corridor and Amu's resistance shattered like a crystal glass; into a million fine pieces and sent flying across the floorboards, left there in a small sand-like pile as she scurried into the safety of the cabin.

The cabin was dark, but warm and offered a sense of security much unlike anything else Amu had felt whilst aboard this ship – with the exception of her cabin, of course, but even so, her little box of confinement was sterile in comparison to this place. A small assortment of jewellery sat atop the dresser inside a beautifully carved box; a gleaming mirror hung above the dresser; the covers on the bed were dyed in various bright colours and a few scarves had been tied to one of the bedposts. It wasn't much, but it was still far more homely than in Amu's own room.

Amu glanced over at the woman who was busily securing a variety of different locks and bolts and seemingly ancient latches so stiff to move that her knuckles were as white as snow. They lined the doorframe – all different shapes and sizes and ages as if they'd been collected and grouped together from many different places – bolted randomly along the wood. The heiress watched in fascination until the woman let out a satisfied huff in triumph before going back to her guest.

"I must apologise." she muttered rather begrudgingly. "I-"

"Really, you shouldn't worry!" Amu interrupted, putting on a polite smile and dismissing everything with the wave of a hand. "Anyway," she continued; "you said your name was Utau, right?"

Utau nodded wordlessly.

"It's good to meet you, Utau." She said. "Actually, I'm very surprised to find another woman aboard."

"I'm sure it is," Utau answered, moving over to the table and sitting down. Amu followed suit. "I haven't been on deck recently. But, no, I'm here. You were brought here yesterday afternoon, am I right?" Amu nodded. "I thought I heard something about that…" She trailed off a little and the heiress didn't miss the way she glanced warily in the direction of the firmly locked door. It was only for a second though, as she quite quickly came out with her next question; "I have to wonder what you must think of this ship, Your Highness."

The Princess felt like sinking back into her chair. How could she convey her first impressions accurately to this woman?

"Well…" she began uncertainly. "I… I can't say. I don't know this ship. I'm not used to it… But from what I've seen the people aren't as bad as I first thought. The Captain is terrifying and there are some members of the crew whom I'm sure do not wish me to be there, but I'm also sure that people have been looking at me with pity whilst they think I'm not watching. I don't blame them," she admitted, distracted, following her finger with her eyes as it ran along the grain of the wooden table, tracing imaginary circles and patterns carelessly into the surface; "I think if I were one of them I would pity any stranger my Captain abducted. To tell the truth, I'm not really sure how I got here. I was just travelling one minute and then…" she shrugged uselessly, confused and frightened when remembering her encounter on that lonesome little dirt road in the dead of night; "then it all seemed to go horribly wrong…"

From across the table Utau watched in silence as Amu was rendered silent, trailing off into her own puzzled thoughts, and the blonde nearly nodded to herself. She was sure that most of the crew did pity the girl and, looking at her in a situation like this, she almost did too. Almost.

"It is true that if you're not used to being aboard a ship – much less a pirate ship of all things – then it can be quite nerve-wracking." She replied quietly. "I remember what it was like back then – back when I first came here."

At this Amu's head bobbed back up to make eye contact. "So…" she was tempted to tip-toe around the subject, but of course her curiosity had taken hold of her and she asked quite plainly; "So how long have you been on this ship?"

Utau's body became ridged and she broke the eye contact to glance away – a sign that she was clearly reluctant to let her past out so easily. Amu shrunk back again, embarrassed. How rude could she possibly be?

She shook her head and decided to try and undo the damage that had already been done. "It-It doesn't matter, you don't ha-"

"My mother, brother and I have been here for almost an entire decade."

Amu was stunned into silence.

'_A decade?'_

And then fear struck as she wondered how long _she_ might have to remain with the crew and the Captain of the Shining Black if someone like Utau here (as well as others, it seemed) had been forced to stay for nearly _ten_, long years. Utau didn't seem to notice the sudden panic that was taking a hold of her cabin guest and the mention of her family had sparked a memory in the back of her mind. She eyed the newcomer almost suspiciously, uttering quite bluntly;

"You appear to be relatively familiar with my brother, Ikuto."

Taken aback, Amu didn't catch the bitterness of that statement. "You and Ikuto are _related?"_

Utau nodded stiffly. Taken by surprise, Amu found herself compelled to ask more. After all, she didn't know Ikuto, not really. The thought that he had a sister only across the corridor from her was quite astounding, for she'd never really thought much about the possibility of him having blood relatives close by and it was strange to place that sort of attachment between him and the woman sitting across the table from her.

"N-No way! He never mentioned-"

The sudden glare from the woman across the table silenced her.

And now Amu felt that horrible emotion known as guilt begin to tug at her heart. Why was she so foolish? Why was she so driven to ask such things of a person she had barely met ten minutes ago? She liked to think it was due to a degree of natural curiosity, but it was an action that she would come to regret many more times in the near future.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

Utau snapped with all the ferocity of a wild dog; "I wouldn't expect someone such as you to understand, Your Highness."

She wished now that she'd considered following the Captain's rules. No interaction with the crew, huh... Perhaps it was for the best if she limited her contact with Utau for a good long while.

"It's getting late." The blonde suddenly declared, standing up so fast that the chair scraped painfully loudly on the surface of the planks. From the desk drawer she went to retrieve a thick silver chain from which multiple keys were hung. She held it up to the light. "I would appreciate it if you would keep quiet about this, Princess."

Clearly Utau would find herself in deep trouble should anyone find her with copies of keys to just about anywhere on the ship. Knowing Captain Ichinomiya, her life would probably be in considerable peril. Amu would never say anything, but the look she received as she awkwardly followed out through the door and into the corridor was one of clear distrust. She did not want to cause any more damage that day – especially not when her fatigue was finally starting to catch up with her again.

"Thank you, Utau." She said politely as her cabin was opened. She stepped inside and went to apologise once more. Utau slammed the door shut, leaving Amu to hang her head and loathe her own actions.

~.~.~

* * *

**Spar**: A horizontal pole used for the masts and yards of a ship.

_(__**A/N**__: Okay so I feel like this chapter had little meaning, but I had to introduce Utau at some point. I really wanted to add Utau in and to actually give her some sort of place on the Shining Black._

_Except I'm worried that she's OOC in this chapter… So please tell me if you notice any OOC moments because I truly can't stand it when I read fics that don't stick to the characters' original personalities.)_


	9. Nine

~.~.~

"His Majesty will be ready to see you now, Commander Hotori."

"Thank you."

The servant gestured for Tadase to follow and led him through the mansion towards the largest dining hall where the two monarchs were apparently finishing up with their morning meal. Tadase followed in silence; the blood rapidly pounding in his ears drowning out any other sound nearby. He was nervous. Extremely nervous. Strange, usually, for a Commander such as he to feel such anxiety, but, then again, too much had happened far too quickly in the past couple of days. He told himself repeatedly that he should be filled with a sense of renewed vigour. He should be leaping and raring to go and scour every corner of the seven seas now that he knew where his fiancée most likely being held. And he _would_ have if not for the fact that, in his haste to significantly widen the search for his bride-to-be, he had forgotten one crucial thing.

He still had to tell the King.

King Tsumugu – ruler of an empire; leader of a great nation; devoted father to Her Royal Highness Amu Hinamori – was just on the other side of those giant, looming double-doors up ahead, waiting impatiently to hear the outcome of the latest search of the town, wanting to be given some reassurance that his daughter was still within an arm's reach. But, of course, she wasn't… And Tadase would have to be the one to tell him that. He scolded himself for momentarily letting something so greatly important slip his mind, but all day he had been busy taking in and contemplating and making sense of all the information he had gathered.

Those doors were stood right in front of him before he even realised it and as they were slowly pushed open Tadase had to force himself to place one foot in front of the other, for it was not in his interests to face the fury of an angered father. As he entered Tsumugu greeted him jovially which did nothing to improve the man's confidence. This news couldn't be broken easily to the King who so loved his eldest daughter and _he _would have to be the one to brutally destroy His Majesty's cheerful demeanour. But it had to be done regardless.

"Commander, good morning." Tsumugu was seated in an armchair at the end of the hall, Midori to his right who tore her gaze from the blooms outside the window and smiled politely.

"Good morning, Your Majesty." The Commander replied, making his way over. His staff tapped a little more forcefully than needed against the marble, but the two didn't seem to notice. "I trust you had another pleasant night?"

They assured him that they most certainly had, but Tadase wondered how one could possibly sleep peacefully knowing that their girl was nowhere to be seen.

"You know, Tadase," the Tsumugu stood up and stretched his legs a little; "I haven't had the chance to talk with you since this time yesterday… I heard you went out into the town quite suddenly in the afternoon. Was there any luck?"

Tadase trod carefully with his next statement. "It depends on the way you look at it, if I'm honest."

Tsumugu met his eyes. "Have you found our daughter?"

An uncomfortable pause followed the King's inquiry.

"I'm afraid not, Your Majesty."

"Ah." The older man replied. He nodded in acceptance and stole a glance at the woman beside him who – to the surprise of everyone present – looked completely composed.

"I see." She said softly. "Well, never mind just yet, dear." Midori told her husband. "It's still early days as of yet." She sounded weary and weak and Tadase was now positive that she hadn't slept at all. He nodded again before lowering himself down into the armchair.

At the sight of the King's disappointment, Tadase's gaze seemed to soften and he felt he could no longer hold off on revealing such important news. If there was one thing that could keep them going, he realised, it was that wonderful little thing called 'hope'. Yes, Amu may seem far from them, but it was not as if nothing could be done. Tadase knew where she was (or roughly so, anyway) and he could lead them to look in the right place. He _would, _he told himself and with that thought that sudden drive to get out there into the world and hunt down those disgraceful pirates – that energy he had told himself to feel much earlier on – hit him like the bullet he would use to strike down the criminal who had dared to lay such filthy hands on the Princess of Seiyo. They could run, but they could not hide, he told himself. They would be hunted down like the dogs they were and would meet the swift hand of justice.

The Commander stepped forward, voice firm as he felt this concentrated vigour surging through his veins. "But, as I said, Your Majesty," he began; "it very much depends on how you look at things." Tsumugu's attention fully caught, Tadase took a breath and continued. Though he felt the motivation to aid Her Highness, he was still all too aware that the King's reaction could go either way. "Yesterday your guard, Fujisaki, and I visited the docks. Only nights ago it appears that a group of criminals decided to raid a number of local buildings… It appears frighteningly similar to events that occurred in this town many years ago."

"Commander," Midori took the chance to speak whilst the man paused; "Our daughter was captured by _criminals?" _she asked, the word leaving a bitter taste on her tongue.

He shook his head. "I have reason to believe that Amu was captured by pirates, Your Majesty."

And a silence enveloped the dining hall for quite some time before Tsumugu stood on his feet again and repeated with an irate shout; _"Pirates?" _He looked to Tadase, to Midori and then to Tadase once again. "Tadase, what evidence have you to possibly suggest that _my daughter-"_

The younger man talked fast before the King could completely lose his temper. "An eye witness confided in Fujisaki and I and as well as this there is great fear among the merchant ships down at the waterfront. My King, I've revisited those docks since then and heard rumours of a new ship frequenting these waters – the fisherman in particular speak of it with such terror…" he trailed off for a moment as he remembered the way the workers had shaken, speaking of a large frigate with sails made out of shadows and a shining diamond on its transom. "But, from what I've learnt," Tadase continued; "is that this ship was last spotted in the area the night your daughter disappeared. Now, I don't know about yourselves, but I feel this is far beyond coincidental. And, what's more, think back to the bullet wound described upon the unfortunate horseman," – a pause to let the King rewind his memory before he made his point – "A buccan is known for his extraordinary shot. And the manner in which Her Highness' abduction took place? Those dogs are notorious for their sneaky ambushes. It appears that they're as cunning on land as they are at sea."

There was a nod of agreement from the King (as reluctant as it might have been) as he considered Tadase's argument and slowly began to understand the logic. At this point, Midori lowered her head into her hands and murmured between her fingers; "What on Earth… What on Earth do such criminals want with our Amu?"

"If she is wanted by them for a specific reason, Your Majesty, then that would be very worrying." Tadase began, however, he caught the look of alarm that streaked across Tsumugu's face and quickly tried to go back on his words. "But, the way I see it at this moment, these men are most likely to be acting merely for personal gain in which case I feel that there is far less to panic about. These are fickle creatures we're talking about, after all, and they seem to have little use for a member of the Monarchy besides ransom. Should they have had darker means, well, I presume she would not have made it out of that carriage at all."

Midori nodded into her hands and breathed steadily to calm down. In front of her, Tsumugu had become restless and was starting to pace.

"We must send out the Royal Navy, that much is obvious." The King stated firmly. He met Tadase's eye. "I will order a search of the seas – _every _sea. I shall enter enemy territory if I must! I shall _truce_ in hopes of aid if I must!"

"Your Majesty," Tadase intervened; "I feel that such measures must only be taken as a very last resort. Do not worry – I'll see to it that the search for Her Highness is carried out properly." He told the King with a stern nod of the head. "I'll begin gathering my finest crew and I'll set out ahead of time."

~.~.~

Amu felt the vibrations of the planks long before Ikuto appeared above her. She glanced upwards to see him staring down at her, his head blotting out the sunlight which had shone so painfully bright in her eyes not long ago. She abandoned the scrubbing brush inside the bucket and looked up at him, still shielding her eyes from the occasional ray that made its way around his looming figure.

"Ikuto?"

He stepped backwards and she flinched as the light made its way into her line of sight once again. "Ikuto, what do you want?" she huffed, awkwardly attempting to stand up again on legs that had been rendered numb and stiff from hours of leaning against the hardwood floors.

When she had finally risen from her spot on the ground, the man gestured towards the aftercastle with a nod of the head. "You've been summoned, Your Highness." He said simply. "The Captain wishes to see you in his cabin."

The woman froze on the spot for a moment as her brain tried desperately to process the information, but to no avail. Yet still she seemed to feel the gravity of the situation hit her hard because, after all, a summons from Kazuomi Ichinomiya would surely be enough have anyone quaking in their boots.

"I'm- I'm sorry?"

"Just get a move one." Ikuto told her in that monotone, indifferent way of his that was beginning to nag her just a little bit. He paused for a second as he waited patiently for her to follow only to scowl when he saw her still staring at him blankly seconds later. "I told you to get a move on." He repeated, a little more exasperated this time. She almost jumped. "The Captain doesn't want to be kept waiting."

"Y-Yes…" She nodded, scampering towards him as he made his way back up to the quarterdeck all the way on the other side of the deck. "I'm sorry."

There was a second pause during which Amu was beginning to wonder whether it was worth responding at all as she looked up at him. He stood slightly hunched and she was sure that it was most likely because he was reluctant and unwilling to drag himself out onto the deck just to fetch Kazuomi's hostage – some small, pitiful girl who now felt so lonesome and somewhat foolish with all this silent treatment she received from the crew of the Shining Black. Whether it was because their Captain had told them so she didn't know, but she did know that for some reason a few larger, more threatening members of the crew had been keeping her away from most others. Put to work in isolated spots; shoved down below when the lower decks were empty… When Kukai had tried to talk with her this morning he was quickly sent up into the nettings above by one of the brutes. They'd then stood watching over her from a short distance away and silently deterring anyone else from approaching.

At least they had until Ikuto had emerged and – probably understanding that he'd been sent by the Captain – they'd wandered off without a word to lend a hand with some other duties. It was strange. It made her feel on-edge and self-conscious, but it also made her wonder whether or not Kazuomi had deliberately made an effort to capture her. Surely if he had, wouldn't the crew be more enthusiastic with her here? Horribly pleased with themselves having succeeded and whatnot, perhaps taunting her and treating her in some despicable ways, but not completely avoiding her as if she were some sort of foreign disease that would have them all on their backs within the hour. Ikuto may have spoken to her when Kazuomi asked, but Amu felt deep down that, honestly, she was more like a burden to him – a task and a further burden to the entire crew of this God forsaken ship who was now having to drag her across the entire ocean to waste their supplies and take up their spare cabins and who needed someone's supervision lest they wanted their Captain's rapier between their ribs.

A sudden sense of guilt overwhelmed her – not because of the fact that she was an 'inconvenience' aboard the buccaneers' ship, but because she remembered that the man in front of her was now troubled with the task of watching over her each day, ordered about by the man he seemed to hate because they had taken _her _in and he just looked so _weary_ from where she stood that she really felt kind of _bad _(for lack of a better word). Having someone unwilling to do such things for her was new – the servants at the Palace had always been completely different. She couldn't seem to stop herself from whispering out one last;

"I'm sorry…"

Good Lord… If she had been reduced to such a guilty state on only her third day of captivity then Amu dreaded the mental state she'd be in when she left. Being plunged into this world… Ignored, treated like someone to be avoided at all costs… A burden… It was all so different and unexpected and she had no idea how to handle any of it.

Amu mentally scoffed in a weak attempt to shrug it off. _'If they are not willing to act their normal selves around me then perhaps it was not worth bothering treating them with any kind of civility after all…'_

At least that's what she thought until there was a sigh from up ahead and with a single, short sentence Ikuto once again made her feel like she was being acknowledged as a person, saying for once without that dull, boring tone;

"It's nothing to worry about."

Not a hostage; not a Princess; not someone who should be avoided. A _person_.

In an alien world that's all she really wanted right now and it was enough to make her feel a little more relaxed after being shunned for the day until suddenly she found herself staring at the entranceway to the Captain's cabin. That was when something far more important came to the front of her mind.

Why did the Captain want her here anyway?

~.~.~

* * *

**_Definitions_**

**Transom**: The planking forming a flat surface at the stern of a ship.

**Aftercastle**: The stern structure which contains the Captain's cabin (and possibly additional others) underneath the poop deck.

**Rapier**: A sword with a long, slender blade and cupped hilt used mainly for stabbing movements.


	10. Ten

~.~.~

Amu was unnerved to see Kazuomi's mouth form a wry grin as she and Ikuto entered the grand cabin that was reserved only for the ship's Captain. The man himself was seated comfortably in his filthy chair and he looked at his son, pleased that he had once again carried out any duty set for him.

"Thank you, Ikuto." He said, though his tone was far from the praising, fond, fatherly kind that Amu would have expected. No. It was almost mocking. "Your Highness," he continued and he gestured for her to take a seat in the rickety little chair across from his desk; "please take a seat. I have been expecting you."

She did as she was told. "Of course, Captain."

Amu tried not to grimace as her skin touched the dusty, near-decayed wood of the chair and sat back; waiting for whatever the man had to say. It was starting to torment her a little bit, the way he stared at her from across the desk with those eyes, so serious and cold and focused the way they latched onto her own and studied her almost curiously, as if looking for something in particular. For what she did not know, however, as she inwardly squirmed under his gaze. She felt transparent. She felt like he could just stare into her brain and her soul and find whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. She felt like he could do all this and then see past her – right through to the other side of the cabin where Ikuto – as always – patiently stood by the door and listened in because (even though he tried to appear as indifferent as always) he was genuinely curious too. Although this could only make her feel more concerned. She had assumed that Kazuomi would have told his son why he was doing what he asked… But obviously not. And that worried her for some reason.

"Your Highness," the Captain began and, after such a long period of silence, Amu nearly jumped in her seat at the sudden start. He ignored it though and continued on; "I trust you now have a feel for our ship. She's a fine vessel, is she not?"

Unsure of what exactly to say or where on Earth the man was intending to go with this, Amu hesitantly uttered a; "Yes, Captain."

"Ah, but of course she is!" he nodded and absently took a glug of grog from the mug on the corner of his desk. "This Shining Black has taken me around the world, almost, Princess. Around the entire globe – to the great borders of Seiyo; to the chill of the northern continent; to the sun-scorching deserts of the southern east…" The Captain took a quick glance out of the cabin window and to the rolling hills of the ocean just outside in remembrance of all the journeys that this Shining Black had made across the great waters and for a moment Amu could really tell that, aside from all else, this was a weathered, old salt with all the experience and knowledge of a first-class sailor if ever she saw one. It was strange and she maybe would have felt some sort of newfound respect for the man (however small an amount that respect may have been), but, as it was, she was sat across from him as a hostage; not as a Princess nor a commoner, not even merely a fellow human being. She was a hostage who had been unwillingly and cunningly taken from her home and for that she could only view Kazuomi with contempt as he continued on with an edge to his voice that suggested something sinister at play behind the cause of their little meeting. She could only wait uncertainly as he went on;

"I've seen the great trade markets of the orient and I've seen the lush tropics and the surf crash upon foreign lands… I've watched my lads run to her as she sits on the water – a beacon for them if ever there was one, I daresay! She has taken to me to places no other ever could, Princess, and she has seen many a stormy night; many a sea-going battle – by God, she has even skirted through the edges of a hurricane in the tropics many years ago." And he looked at her with those eyes once again and spoke in a tone most sincere that she was a little taken aback. "This ship is very precious to me."

A pause was made to let the words sink in and during this time, Ichinomiya rose from his seat and slurped his alcohol again and had made it over to the other side of the desk where he stood, towering over Amu all the way down there in her creaky little chair in a manner most intimidating so that she slid down in her seat in a vain attempt to move from under his gaze; in the way a rabbit might do as it shrinks back into its burrow when the foxes come prowling in the dead of night.

"Without this ship I could not have gotten this far, Miss Hinamori." He continued. "I could not have made it here; not left Seiyo; not become a pirate. And, although you may believe that my way of life is ill and fiendish and should be damned with the Devil himself, I have my reasons. I have my reasons for this way of life and I have no intention of turning back. So, yes, this ship is valuable to me. She is my sanctuary and my way of life, so I am sure you understand that she, of course, holds more value to me than most I have obtained in my lifetime." Kazuomi Ichinomiya leaned forwards slowly, teasingly, letting his sentence hang in the air between them. "And now I require something that is of value to yourself, Your Highness."

"I…" Amu stared up at the man, perplexed and baffled. "I beg your pardon? With all due respect–" (she inwardly scoffed, for she meant him none) "–how am I supposed to understand what on Earth you want from me?"

"You can be incredibly helpful to our cause, Princess." Kazuomi replied and Amu felt like protesting greatly. Why would she even want to consider being of help to these people who robbed and thieved and cut and slashed the throats of innocent civilians? The thought made her sick. She turned away to spare herself from looking at him anymore and focused on the fraying rug beneath their feet. The pirate, noticing this, edged towards the side into her field of vision and roughly stomped one big, heavy boot as he walked to snap her attention back to the matter at hand. Amu did so hesitantly, hoping that if she listened like a good little girl he would be done with all his nonsense faster and, ultimately, she could go back outside to whatever it was she was supposed to be doing. Scrubbing planks or fetching supplies for the crew – it was all better than whatever he had to say. Though at the moment he was still staring. Still, still staring and scrutinising and examining her face until–

"The Humpty Lock."

Before she could stop herself, Amu drew a sharp breath at the mention of the name and looked him in the eye. "What?"

The man chuckled without mirth. "The Humpty Lock." He repeated, clearer and firmer this time, and Amu's brows narrowed because she was positive that she had heard that term before. "You know of it."

It wasn't a question. And he was right because at that moment he slid a tattered piece of parchment from behind him on the desk, held it up and on the surface was scrawled a rough, but surprisingly detailed, illustration of the Lock that, years ago, Queen Hinamori had given to her daughter and that which currently rested on a chain around her neck. The space in the middle of her chest where the golden Lock itself lay beneath layers of cloth was suddenly a lot more weighty and Amu felt it press down upon her skin like an anvil tied round one's neck – like a heavy burden that weighs upon a person's conscience, yet in a far more physical form.

'_The Humpty Lock?' _she thought, testing the name within her head, until now never having heard it properly (or at least not for years). _'Why does he want my-'_

But she stopped dead in the middle of her thoughts and travelled back to that afternoon when she had first awoke aboard the ship and Ikuto had taken her back to her cabin and his eyes had locked with the thing around her neck and then–

"_You might not want to let anyone see that."_

Those had been his words.

"_And why might that be?"_

But then that meant…

"_Because… We're pirates."_

That meant that for some reason Ikuto must not have wanted the Captain to find this Lock and she wondered whether it was this that Ikuto said because whatever Kazuomi wanted that Lock for was possibly dangerous or maybe even immoral, but otherwise negative even by a fellow buccaneer's standards.

Behind them, Ikuto had not moved and Amu wished that she could turn and thank him dearly for that little comment he'd made in her cabin that day or else she might not have then and there have put the pieces and together and realised Kazuomi's petty motive for dragging her aboard his vessel in the first place. What he wanted it for she did not know, but when she looked directly at the old man's face she noticed the fire raging fiercely on within his eyes, untamed by his composed and cool exterior and, to tell the truth, it terrified her. His expression spoke volumes and she would have grasped the Lock around her neck to protect it on instinct, but she had to stop herself, realising how utterly idiotic that would have been.

But, although, she did not know exactly why Kazuomi Ichinomiya desired her Humpty Lock, she knew that whatever was keeping Ikuto rather insistent on keeping it hidden must have been strong enough for it to cause him to go against his own superior; his own Captain – his own _father _even – and it was that which strengthened her resolve and set her mind in stone. She would lie and play the fool and not allow this dirty scoundrel to get his hands anywhere near her treasured trinket, but of course that also meant trusting Ikuto enough to lay her own neck right on the line and, of course, relied on her ability to lie convincingly. Amu wholeheartedly thanked her years of preparing for leadership.

"No, Captain…" Her face calm and with a beautiful hint of bewilderment just for a little added effect, she hoped to God that he hadn't taken too much notice in her initial reaction earlier, but he hadn't yet called her out on it, so she supposed that (for now) she was safe. She stared up at him in a way that reminded her of all the times she had tried to deceive her parents as a child – looking for all the world a complete depiction of innocence – and added; "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The Humpty Lock has been handed down the Hinamori line for generations." Ichinomiya stated certainly and then added with a greedy glint in his eye and a disturbingly chaotic grin; _"I've seen it."_

Amu considered her next words carefully. "Well… I have heard something about a piece of jewellery that gets inherited by the Queen..." She paused here and plastered on her best expression of thoughtfulness. "But I've never seen it."

"But, Your Highness," the Captain made no effort to conceal the iciness of his tone as he hissed at her; "I remind you, you _must _have seen it. Does your dear mother not wear it round her neck as, I'm sure, you would..?" He had circled her chair in this time and now stood to her right, leaning down and breathing directly in her ear; vile breath hitting her cheeks in a way that made the Princess want to squirm.

"I have never seen it, Captain." Amu firmly repeated, leaning away for the sake of personal space. "If it is even real, I've never seen my mother with this Lock." And then, with the sudden confidence in herself to continue to spout out these dirty great lies, she found herself shaking her head in a disappointed and exasperated manner. "You fool… You have captured the King's daughter for nothing and I should wish to see you hang for it."

Displeased, the Captain straightened. Silently – which in itself worried Amu as she would prefer to face his wrath right now rather than be left hanging and dreading – he slowly, painstakingly trudged his way back over to the desk, rattling his boots on the floorboards with the dull _thud-thud-thudding _that made the unstable chair she sat in threaten to give way beneath her "You remember your first day aboard this ship, Princess?" She made no reply as he slid open a drawer and reached inside for something that, all the way on the other side of the furniture, she could not see. "You remember my conditions?" No reply. "And you remember how I enforce these rules?"

The chair creaked as the heiress dug her nails into the arms in terror as images of that deadly pistol reappeared in her mind.

"Unfortunately…" the Captain removed that very same pistol from beneath his coat and Amu nearly squeaked, but in a second the thing was gone, dumped carelessly into the drawer with a _thump _that made her jump a little, and the drawer roughly shut. "Unfortunately, my firearms are waiting to undergo a little priming and are, as of now, unfit for service." The breath Amu didn't realise she was even holding was released quite audibly and she was positive she heard a chuckle, though in her little moment of relief she couldn't tell whether it came from the Captain or Ikuto. "But you understand the consequences should you fail to comply, Your Highness?"

She nodded, her voice failing her, and by now her mind was racing with doubts and worries and _'should I come clean?'_. Though, before she could even consider taking it all back under the pressure and the horrors of whatever other weapons Kazuomi could introduce her to, the Captain then sat down heavily in his own seat and was calling forward Ikuto to take her back to her duties. She was up on her feet in a second and being escorted across the room and into the corridor once again by the younger man.

"You," Ikuto began as he ushered her away from the cabin door; "are… Incredibly brave." At her blank look he added; "I would expect anyone else to crack."

"O-Oh-" she nodded a little in understanding. A hint of a blush had spread across her pale cheeks as, honestly, Ikuto's small comment was in fact rather appreciated. "Well," Amu responded; "I suppose it's part of my job. W-Well, you see… If I'm supposed to take over the country someday I'd- I'd have to be and pressure, well, that's part of the job…"

Ikuto somehow managed not to smile as she evidently tried her hardest not to muddle up her wording under his gaze and he watched her go on in mild fascination, quite stunned that she seemed to show determination enough to give Kazuomi such a mighty slip, but, still, the manner in which the Captain had so quickly dismissed her had left an uneasy sort of feeling in his gut and he was beginning to quickly feel anxious.

He realised that now all he could do was rely on Her Highness to keep up her act. He hoped to God that she could keep it up

~.~.~

"She's lying." Captain Ichinomiya's voice just about echoed off the cabin walls that night, the words as heavy as the gale that had started to batter the Shining Black in the last hour and, though the ship rocked and creaked under the strain of the elements, Kazuomi sat back calmly, quietly and paid no heed to the whistling of the cold night wind that rattled the windows and ran across the boards in the draught.

He lowered his face and the light of the flickering candles dotted about the room reflected that gleam of fury that for a moment streaked across his eyes. "She's lying." He repeated firmly. "It's in her family; it's in her generation; I've seen that Lock with _my own damn eyes!" _He almost let the rage overwhelm his senses, yet, thankfully, the Captain caught himself within a second and breathed deeply; as loud as the air outside. "She has to be lying, the haughty little brat." He huffed out the last of his ire and leaned back comfortably. "Never mind. It's just a matter of time until she tells all and when she does…"

He let it hang in the air for a moment before looking up at his son.

"Ikuto, cut the Princess' rations in half." Kazuomi said so casually that Ikuto found it hard to conceal his shock at such blatant and blunt neglect for the heiress. "Make her lack what she needs; make her more miserable – more deprived. Make her desperate enough for a simple slice of bread that within a second she'd take the chance to come crawling back with that Lock in her hand…"

Shortly after Ikuto complied and was excused, leaving the Captain to sit in his cabin alone and in peace.

'_She knows where the Humpty Lock is… She does…'_

~.~.~


	11. Eleven

~.~.~

The burning was unbearable. It pierced through the skin of her neck and into her bones, trickling down her back like sparks as the fire flared; it seeped forwards and round to the front of her face where her cheeks flushed with the temperature and she huffed out a puff of warm air with the hope that it would help her cool down. Hesitantly, warily, Amu chose this moment to glance over her shoulder and up at the poop deck. The Captain still stood staring in her direction. She shuddered and turned back, trying once again to ignore that intense, burning feeling that appeared as he bore holes into her back. She thought she would be lucky today – there was a stronger ocean breeze that was pleasant in contrast to the harsh sunbeams, but now that he was paying such close attention to her… Another shiver coursed through her body and she uneasily tried to carry on with her work.

All around her the planks were thudding; stomped upon and abused by countless boots and bare feet as the crew ran across the deck, adjusting the sails or priming weapons or going over to perch comfortably on the ratlines whilst there was no task for them at hand. She peeked up at said ratlines where at least seven members of the Shining Black were leisurely hanging, suspended in mid-air, laughing and jeering – three were even passing round a mug of something to share around, howling with laughter when one nearly dropped the thing and sent at least half of the rum cascading down onto the deck below. One unfortunate pirate skidded along across the unnoticed puddle of booze and cast a murderous look up to those responsible who in reply just hooted some more. Amu smiled a little at the interaction, trying not to grin so noticeably when the man below suddenly broke off his deathly look and chuckled himself, shaking his head as if to say _"honestly!"_ and casually strolling off to find a bucket and brush to clean up the mess. Captain Ichinomiya behind her might have been a brute to say the least, but the same could not be said for this lot.

This was the first occasion that the Captain had actually stepped out onto the deck to observe his crew since his and Amu's little meeting in his cabin – two days ago now. Two days without so much as a glimpse of the rugged Captain had left Amu in quite high spirits. That first night she had spent tossing and turning in her cabin bed, wondering and wondering and being tormented by the fact that she had no idea why the man wanted her Lock – or her Humpty Lock as it appeared it was called – and praying that she had made the right decision. Two days without seeing his face on the deck of the ship had given her ample time and opportunity to calm herself and to reason that if he was going to press the matter on her further he would have done so already, but, then again, that didn't explain why she was still on the ship at all. She didn't expect him to let her go immediately, nor did she believe that he would give up on the subject of the Humpty Lock quite so easily, but she couldn't help but wonder why he would leave her alone like this – _especially_ when she had seen that look of a madman in his eyes that just screamed out desperation and desire for that little golden trinket he was so keen to get his hands on.

Being left in the dark, she found in this case, was far more unnerving than the truth – however horrible it may have been.

Amu straightened up to place her equipment back in its rightful place in the hold and pretended to turn to observe the water in the direction of the setting sun, casting her eye in the direction of the poop deck as she turned in an attempt to make the action far more inconspicuous than Kazuomi dared to make his. He was gone and she felt relieved. Recently it was as though she couldn't move a muscle without being observed by someone _somehow_. The Captain up on the poop deck; that burly brute up on the quarterdeck; him over there leaning against the gangway… No doubt that this was Captain's orders, yet it seemed that only a select few were in on the secret. There were some members of this crew, she had noticed, who seemed to go out of their way to avoid all interaction with any other; who weren't as loud or sociable or interested in their other crew mates than everyone else. She saw Kukai out of the corner of her eye – optimistic and energetic, high-spirited and often with a child-like air about him that made it almost impossible to not feel cheerful when he appeared – and then some other nameless pirate who she was sure had been keeping his eye on her all yesterday and she found herself baffled by the contrast between the two. The crew seemed divided and she found herself asking why Kazuomi would choose such different types of workers for the job because surely if there was the risk that they couldn't get along wouldn't that make tensions far too dangerously high?

"Amu,"

In her moment of thought Ikuto had clambered up the companionway and was holding up a set of keys, glinting in the rays of the falling sun, in a gesture he had adopted to tell her it was time for her to get back to her cabin for the night. It was early, but her duties were done and frankly she was glad to be rid of the prying eyes that suddenly came from all around, stoking the flames and making the heat rise once again. The Princess turned to face the nearest one as if to say that, yes, she knew he was watching her and she was getting bloody tired of it.

"Are you coming," Ikuto began once she didn't move; "or are you spending the night with the crew instead?"

It seemed to have an immediate effect as Amu snapped her head back in the right direction and hurriedly made her way towards her cabin. Behind her, Ikuto couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Upon reaching Amu's cabin and Ikuto unlocking the door, Her Highness was quick to scurry in and abandon that stuffy cloak around her shoulders, carelessly abandoning it on the bed and fanning herself with a hand, thankful that the room was cool and airy. Ikuto pointed to the table where there lay a tray (silver tonight – must have been a treat) containing her usual misshapen goblet of wine and beside it four ship's biscuits – or 'hardtack' as she had heard them referred to as. She tried not to grimace at the sight of them; those unsavoury, stiff little jaw-breakers that made her teeth ache every time she tried to take a bite, all for the sake of gratefulness. Amu briefly pondered over whether rations were getting shorter or even just of poorer quality. She'd found herself going to bed hungry last night and the one before.

"Thank you." Amu said softly, expertly not showing her disgust at those little biscuits that laid there on the tray in front of her. She'd just have to dip them in wine and hope they softened enough for them to be edible.

Ikuto was idly looping the keys round his finger, making them jingle and jangle in the otherwise soundless corridor. "No problem." He replied, something like a sigh evident in his tone which made her raise an eyebrow in confusion – especially when she noticed that his eyes weren't on her, but the meagre meal of hardtacks instead. "If you'll excuse me," he paused to lean over and take the doorknob in his hand; "I must see the Captain before he retires."

At the mention of the Captain, Amu's attention was suddenly drawn to the Lock around her neck and she stepped forward, calling behind him with a sense of urgency; "Wait!"

He paused and there was a second or so of near-awkward silence in which she tried to gather her thoughts enough to form a proper sentence without sounding far too forward.

"About the Captain…" Amu began uncertainly, her hands meeting behind her back and she slowly wound her fingers round each other – a habit she had for the most part managed to shake off, but under the intense stare of those two mesmerising eyes (and feeling increasingly nervous) she found it returning before she could stop it. She managed to pry one hand from the other and took the Humpty Lock between her fingers. "Do you- Do you know why he wants this Lock?" There was no reply. Ikuto just stared back, though his grip had strengthened on the doorknob as his knuckles began to turn white. Amu sensed irritation, but now that she had asked once, she found that she couldn't just let this opportunity pass. After all, how often would she find the right moment to bring this up to him?

"Why is it secret?" Amu asked and she brought the trinket up in her hand, looking over it for a second at its clear crystals and smooth and glorious golden colours. "I… I don't understand the significance."

The seconds ticked by during which Ikuto didn't respond. Amu narrowed her eyes at him – that constant staring and staring and blank _staring _hitting a nerve within her and she felt that she wanted to snap at him and make sure that he did _not _stare at her with the same unmoving eyes of those faceless thugs that trudged aboard the deck. Her irritation would surprise her when she looked back on the event later on.

"_Are you going to answer me?"_

…

"_Ikuto!"_

He finally replied, but all he did was try to shrug it off. Although, if Amu had been paying attention, she would have seen the gears turning as he tried so hard to think up an answer, but even then all he could settle for was a hesitant;

"Captain's business."

Bewildered for a moment, Amu found herself glaring at the man who had just so casually told her _'Captain's business' _like the matter was a whole separate world from her own; like she had no right to step her foot in simply because it was the _Captain's _place to be; like she didn't deserve an answer despite the fact that the thing Captain Ichinomiya truly desired was hanging around _her _neck! What made it not her business? What allowed him to determine that without her consideration? Ikuto _knew _and yet he still belittled her!

"_Of course _it's my business!" she cried, outraged. "I've been patient and I've been _compliant_! I've laboured on this ship and took care of all your dirty work for days on end now! And I've even kept this question back because, even though I know that it is indeed _my business_, Ikuto, I've been so terribly scared of the Captain that I haven't worked up the courage!" A pause to take a breath and Ikuto averted his eyes. "But I've haven't settled!" She stated firmly. "I've been up all night and I've been thinking over and over all day about this because I just can't _settle _until I know why – until I know what's going on! You realise that I've been taken away from my home, don't you? My _life. _Everything I know and love is a whole other world away and meanwhile I'm stuck _here _on this bloody boat and your _'Captain' _can't even give me a half-decent reason as to _why? _What the hell are you pirates playing at? What _pirate _acts this tactically? Aren't you just a boat-load of floating _dogs?"_

And across the room, Ikuto let out a breath and shook his head, stepping back to wordlessly close the door on her and lock her out from that whole other world of knowledge that she was not entitled to and it cut through something inside of her. Why was she left in the dark? Why _she? _He could have come clean; he could have given her a hint at least, but he didn't and Ikuto had decided to shut her out completely and for some reason – once the anger had subsided – that kind of… _hurt._

"Please." Amu whispered.

Her reply was the cold clicking sound as the lock turned to trap her in and then, once more, there was quiet. Empty quiet that filled the room and enclosed around her and made her feel like she was suffocating in the silence where nobody could hear her cry out. But then something snapped and she found that her little emotional ride wasn't over quite yet as that anger coursed throughout her veins again and she yelled in frustration, slamming her hand down upon the silver tray beside her and it clattered to the floor noisily – hardtack flying about the room and demonstrating their toughness as they hit the ground with not even a crack of damage.

"_God damn it!"_

An ear-splitting screech as she dumped herself down into the chair – its legs scraping along the floorboards – and within a moment hot tears had made their way to her eyes. Amu sniffed, swearing profoundly at her pathetic mood swings, feeling like a small child in the middle of a tantrum, but not even making the effort to regain herself as frustration swirled like a great whirlpool within her.

"_God damn you, Ikuto- God damn Ichinomiya- God damn this bloody ship..!"_

'_Why the hell did I have to end up on this bloody boat?'_

Crying over her frustration; crying over her desperation; crying over her own small, pathetic, helpless little self, Amu couldn't find the strength to lift herself up and into her bed for the night and as she finally calmed down and leaned back and finally began to drift off into that wonderful, painless, carefree world of sleep she couldn't help but notice the shifting of light beneath the doorway; the presence on the other side of the door; and a masculine sigh that managed to reach her ears even from the distance… Not that, with her mind in such a state of fatigue, she would remember the following morning.

~.~.~

* * *

**_Definitions_**

**Ratlines**: Small ropes fastened across the shrouds (the ropes forming the rigging) like the rungs of a ladder which can be used for climbing.

**Gangway**: The passage of deck connecting the forecastle to the quarterdeck.

**Companionway**: Steps leading down to a cabin or to a lower deck.

**Hardtack**: A hard, savoury piece of bread or biscuit used as rations aboard ships.

_(**A/N**: So, after the last chapter, I feel like this one makes it all a little anti-climatic... So I'm sorry :L This is more of like a short, filler chapter to avoid making things seem too rushed. I'll upload the next one as soon as I can to make up for it ^^)_


	12. Twelve

~.~.~

The mood was surprisingly positive in the dining hall that afternoon as the King sat to eat with his hosts. A great selection of fine foods laid spread across the table, overflowing with meats and greens and other dishes of a variety of interesting colours and tastes made from the luxurious tropical supplies that were brought in from the boats at the docks. His Majesty sampled an oddly flavoured mix of fruits as he turned to the blonde to his right.

"Tadase," he began; "I must say I am truly reassured." Tsumugu briefly looked to his wife who nodded in agreement. "Your determination and dedication towards ensuring our daughter's safety has worked tremendously to put our minds at ease – for the meantime at least."

Tadase, though flattered, was about to simply smile and, in the most modest manner possible, insist that this was a mere stepping-stone in the whole process, but before he could so much as open his mouth or shake his head he found himself being toasted by the King himself and the rest of the guests seated at the grand table raised their glasses, echoing his name. Crystal glassware chinked and the shrill sound sliced through his ear almost painfully, but as they all took a drink and showed such praise, the Commander found himself unable to protest and instead gave His Majesty a grateful look.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." He replied and as he glanced round the table to add; "Thank you, everyone," it occurred to him that with all these people placing such immense faith in him it would truly be not only humiliating, but also upsetting for him to return in some months' time after such a grand voyage of many expectations empty handed and with no Princess or so much as a pirate to hang in tow. He saw the eyes of the King filled with hope and pride in this man who was to be his son-in-law and you could almost hear the little voice in his head saying; "Yes. Yes, this is the man who will save my daughter, slay the criminals and take my place – and what a better decision could I have made?" But for a fleeting moment, Tadase almost felt that it was unreasonable – unreasonable for Amu's own father to place all the responsibility in her rescue on someone else, however it soon hit him that, had Tsumugu not laid such trust in him himself, he would still have insisted in leading the way. From the very start he had jumped to try and reach out to his fiancée and by no means he wasn't about to stop right now, but it did make him wonder; _'Just how much blind faith will the King of Seiyo have in me? Surely he is aware that he cannot always entrust such important matters on me in the future?' _Perhaps it was some sort of test, Tadase figured; a test of courage and will and drive to protect the country's future Queen. Perhaps not. But, either way, he would not dwell on it with such a great task on his hands and so he gave that grateful smile to the King and nodded reassuringly at his wife opposite the table and said;

"Have no fear, Miss Hinamori will be found and brought back home safely and soundly and those responsible shall swing in the executioner's noose, for all I care, so long as they receive the justice they deserve." There were claps and murmurs of agreement amongst the guests. "As it is," he continued; "we have gathered much of the supplies and other essentials needed for our ships – all that is needed is to ensure our vessels are sea-worthy and we'll be able to leave the docks within two or so days."

"Excellent!" Tsumugu abandoned his cutlery and empty plate and sat back comfortably in his chair, impressed with the speed at which the Commander had been able to get everything together. "Well done, Tadase."

"Thank you, Commander." Midori almost beamed at him with a gleeful little twinkle of hope in her kind eyes and more than ever Tadase knew that he would not allow himself to let down this dear, compassionate woman. "Where to do begin your journey, may I ask?"

"Well…" the man began, sounding almost weary as he recalled how difficult a task it would be trying to pin-point a single craft in the entire ocean; "for a start we have been in contact with various navy ships and gathering reports of pirate vessels – where and when they were sighted; where they may be headed; what, if obvious, motives they have – and we aim to pursue as many of these sightings as we can. As you can probably understand, Your Majesty, there cannot be a set destination until we've already set sail." At the pause that followed he decided to continue and add; "But, as it happens, we do have a vague description of the type of ship we're looking for – and vague it may _be_, but I believe this is our target." He once again remembered the terrified merchant sailors and that eerie image of the mystery ship in the fog. "We know that we are looking for a frigate – not of high status, but a frigate nonetheless. Three masts; dark sails; and curiously no name to identify on her stern…"

The Commander was now trailing off, becoming drawn into his own thoughts as he pictured the elusive ship. Why dark sails? Why no name? _Why _Amu Hinamori? It didn't make sense… But luckily it appeared that their feast was soon over and the servants had begun to clear the table and, once the platters and glasses and all else had been cleared, Tsumugu had joined Tadase and was intent on leaving the Hotori place to see these fine ships that the Commander had prepared for the difficult, but rewarding voyage.

"Fine crafts, Commander?"

The blonde man nodded firmly. "The finest Seiyo's fleet has to offer, Your Majesty."

"Wonderful. I assume plenty of the best men? Plenty of– Ah, good, good, that's what I wanted to hear. Now, I can have a coach ready and my guards – oh, there they are – my guards can accompany us to the waterfront. Will you be ready to leave within the next few minutes?"

Tadase assured him that he would and that he would give the King a full tour of his chosen ships. Pleased, the King had sent a servant to arrange the arrival of the coach and Tadase leisurely strolled down to the front courtyard of his family mansion. He had expected His Majesty to return all bright and eager and full of haste to make their way down to the docks – to the little naval section in which the ships were being prepared for the journey – but, when he eventually did return, Tadase was surprised to see the King look rather absent as though deep in thought. It had turned out that, going to arrange the transport, he had been pulled aside by his wife who, now quite worried and troubled with the thought that with nowhere obvious to look for their daughter they may not find her at all, had insisted that instead the men make their way to a little mansion up by the cliff top where apparently there lived a man who could offer his help. Mizue, after hearing Midori's concerns, had recommended this man who made a living as a fortune teller – "A wise man," she had said upon noticing the King's sceptical frown; "he's been known for his work for years – helped many missing souls return to their families safely before. And, what's more, he's respectable – held in high regard by the townspeople." – and with some persuasion, it seemed that that was that.

"My wife is concerned," Tsumugu said to Tadase as they rolled through the town in the luxurious coach, through the town square and down the waterfront and now up to the steep slope towards the cliff top; "and I know you said what you thought might comfort her, but she sometimes cannot be comforted." As if ashamed that he might be giving his Queen false hope, Tadase didn't reply, but stared out the little window at the faint outline of a house upon the headland, surrounded by swirling gulls and the sound of the roaring surf below that crashed mercilessly into the rocks and sent the salty spray wafting up and along in the breeze.

Soon they stood in the gravel outside the mansion; little else outside this front of the home besides the tall, iron gates that enclosed the property, lined with tall hedges and little bushes of white flowers. Staring up, Tadase marvelled at the fine example of architecture and craftsmanship quite unlike even that of his own home. All clean cream-coloured stone and slightly twisted columns; arches above the windows and a great amount of detail into the smooth, swirling patterns up above the porch and on the balconies. In his state of awe, Tadase didn't notice the King march up, surrounded by guards, and raise a fist to the door about to knock. His knuckles barely moved an inch before the door swung open.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty." Said the calm, steady voice of the man in the doorway. He bowed respectfully and when he straightened the Commander caught his first glimpse of the mysterious fortune teller who for years to come would still stick in his mind – the composure; the serene features; the tranquillity of his voice that with time he would come to find slightly irritating… But for now he just stood in silence and watched as the man stepped aside and gestured for the group to enter his home.

"Welcome. My name is Tsukasa Amakwa." He said. "I've been expecting you."

Stepping inside (it was equally as grand as the exterior, Tadase had to admit), Mr Amakawa immediately began to head off down the large corridor and towards the staircase which they could spot through the elegantly twisted archway that lead to the opposite room.

"If you'd like to follow, Your Majesty."

A little stunned by the speed at which he went, they for some reason couldn't quite find themselves able to protest and merely followed in silence until the King managed to catch a glimpse of a large space in which there stood a large, round table and several chairs – ideal for a meeting place. With the fine furniture and the regal fireplace and the elegant ambience it looked to be a dining hall – somewhere in which many of their own meetings back at the Hotori home were held.

"Excuse me, Mr Amakawa." Tsumugu started as they reached the staircase. "If you don't mind my asking, should it not be better to have our discussion in your hall?"

Tsukasa paused on his step and merely beamed down. "If you don't mind, Your Majesty, I would like to show you properly the space where I settle my business." He let it sink in for a second as he continued before calling over his shoulder; "Please, this way."

And so they followed and exchanged odd glances, for their host was undoubtedly a quirky fellow quite unlike anyone they'd ever met before, however it had to be said that he was incredibly charming and courteous despite his odd mannerisms; so much so that even the guards and Tadase found they didn't even protest as the man led the King like a puppy on a leash through his home (quite improper for the likes of royalty), gliding through the halls and up the steps with all the swiftness and ease of a spirit.

Tsukasa would stop at the top of a step and turn around to give them time to catch up and then he would smile graciously and wave a hand in a gesture telling them to all carry on and follow so that they all walked just that little bit faster. Tadase would glance up at raise an eyebrow and he was sure that the man caught it because the next time he turned and waved he would look at the Commander with a cheeky glint in his eye. Tadase disliked that look immensely and he already wished to leave the home, for he had grown apprehensive of Mr Amakawa with his unusual mannerisms and his peculiar way in which he dealt with his guests. It made him nervous – something which he rarely admitted to himself whilst still on duty – because he never quite knew what lay around the corner or up on the floor above.

They were led up three flights of staircases and, during that time, Tadase could not help but eagerly look around the home when he was avoiding the man's eye-line and so his mind soon wandered and the tense feeling that had grown within him began to dissipate as he took in the sights of the elegant home. There were so many rooms – so _many. _Sitting rooms and bedrooms and study rooms and possibly even a library down a couple floors back. Through a giant, arched window the man managed to spot a massive, blooming garden that sprang to life with colour and life and all sorts of plants; native and exotic and far too many for a single person to count. The garden was lined with neatly trimmed bushes dotted here and there with roses of many colours and a small distance beyond was the line of the sea glittering marvellously underneath the blazing sun. It lit the greenery and made it glow; made it seem more active and alive and Tadase could easily kid himself that he could see the plants themselves moving and swaying cheerfully in the warmth as they basked in the much-needed rays of light. He spotted a little fountain trickling and gurgling away and he craned his neck to see it closer, but in an instant he was nudged further up the stairs by the guard behind him and, much to his disappointment, he left the garden and its stunning features behind. However, with it, returned his sense of security as he was pushed back into the present situation and he was reminded of his earlier uneasiness.

Seconds later they stood on a narrow little landing, staring at this grand entranceway to a hidden room, secured with a little lock around the handles. The light from the small window behind them was blocked by the group who huddled in the little space, careful to not go tumbling back down the way they came, and they cast the room into a cold shadow. In the shadow a little, faint flow was spotted beneath the heavy doors in front and Tadase saw their host smile with a fondness that warmed his eyes as he stepped forward and unlocked the door with a tiny key that he pulled from one of his pockets.

"Please," he began, sounding quite pleased and slowly pushing one of the doors open; "make yourselves comfortable."

Tadase kept himself from letting out a little gasp in awe as they wandered slowly into the domed space. He looked about almost frantically, trying to spot the source of this– this trick because _surely_ it could not be real? This could only be some sort of illusion – a play on the eyes and mind. The room was dark, yet bright; it was dim and cold, yet it glowed with a warm, comforting feeling that made one's body relax and calm and breathe slowly and easily. It was like… He'd heard the word before somewhere… It had been described to him as a sensation of great and total peace, happiness, tranquillity… _Nirvana_! Yes, a sense of nirvana overwhelmed them on their first few steps into the space where up above little white dots twinkled and gleamed seemingly all on their own – like stars painted onto the night's sky – some connected by little white streaks as thin as fishing line and others as though painted rope had been pressed down in-between.

'_Night…'_

Yes, that was it. The room was blue; a deep, deep blue much like the colour of the sky just before it all turns into inky blackness; after the stars have just begun to show themselves like timid spirits creeping out when they're sure that all have gone to sleep – when they have the freedom to come out and they dance across the sky like fireflies trapped beneath the haze of the moon.

"It's an observatory?" Nagihiko, a little behind, said uncertainly, for it did seem that the night sky was merely painted on the surrounding walls and yet still the tiny dots gleamed with all their might.

"Yes…" Tsukasa entered himself, shutting the door closed behind him and sealing out all other light so as to admire the spectacle clearer. "Isn't it wonderful? The stars are beautiful." He announced. "Stunning the way they glow so bright to be seen all the way down here – on this little hunk of rock that just sits and floats and watches curiously, yet… Yet is never able to…" – he went to raise a hand to all the dots above his head – "To touch them…"

'_Dear Lord, mother,' _Tadase thought for a moment; _'I do hope this man you've suggested is quite sane. I do not doubt that he is outstanding…' _He thought as he once more took in the strange observatory. _'But…' _The word trailed off uncomfortably.

By now, the fortune teller had shook his head and taken his eyes off what seemed to be his pride and joy and instead turned towards the King who was still speechless at the illusion being displayed. "Now, Your Majesty," he began, going over to a table on the other side of the room and gesturing to one of the seats; "I believe you require my services."

Tsumugu snapped himself back to reality and wandered over to the indicated seat, followed by the guards and Tadase who eyed their host with suspicion. Had Mizue told him they would come beforehand? Anyway, the King had sat and the fortune teller took a cup of tea from the pot and cup that sat on the side of the table which Tadase, now he was closer, noticed had various markings and inscriptions; symbols and patterns carved around the edges and in the middle a carving of the sun with great, thick rays of light reaching all the way out to the strange etchings on the sides. He recalled things similar seen at travellers' stalls on street corners who claimed to foresee the future of whoever offered the most money and in that moment he sincerely doubted Tsukasa's credibility as a fortune teller, for how could he hope to be genuine if he followed the habits of the homeless who simply wished to con the most amount of money they could from honest hands? He saw the King who was clearly far too hopeful and prayed that this man wouldn't let them down else he'd see to it that he found himself snatched from the comfort of his classy mansion and dumped among those other fakes for good. This was too the wellbeing of his future bride that was placed upon the table. If Tsukasa led them off on a wild goose chase then Tadase would not forgive him.

"Your daughter…" Tsukasa said once he had taken a sip from his tea which the Commander guessed was one of the herbal kinds as the scent reached his nose. He frowned a little and hoped, for that man's sake, that whatever herbs had been used were of the harmless kind. However, Tsumugu was staring back wide-eyed and open his mouth to speak when Tsukasa laughed lightly in interruption. "Please, sir, what else would you have come to speak to me about? But, anyhow, I have thought about this for quite some time… If you look at the night sky," – he pointed up and instinctively the group craned their necks to spy the stars – "the positions of the stars are said to change throughout the course of our lifetimes… I don't know if you believe in guardian spirits, Your Majesty, but it is said that somewhere, someone watches over you from the heavens and guides you down the long, winding road of the stars towards your destiny." Tsukasa laughed again. "But, as I said, it may take some persuading for a person to believe in such things. On rare occasions, a person may become aware of their guardian spirit as they watch themselves move in time with the sky above their heads. It is rare – it takes time and luck and fate and so, as you can guess, there are no more than one or two examples of this. But I have noticed, Your Majesty, the stars moving increasingly rapidly as of late – a very recent thing, I must stress."

The King, who until now had simply been listening and watching in a stunned and fascinated silence, spoke up; "Recent?"

Tsukasa nodded; a new gleam in his eye, but one that Tadase, frustratingly, could not decipher.

"I do believe this may coincide with the changing in your daughter's life course."

And from that moment Tadase was a little disheartened to see that suddenly the King was hooked – drawn in by the possibility of being able to trace his daughter and find her safely all through the use for something as simple and mystical as the stars. Oh, how pitifully gullible! The Commander wanted to scoff and sigh, interrupt to say that this was all, frankly, ridiculous nonsense and advise that he and the King leave as quickly as possible to leave this madman to sit and drink his tea and stare blankly at the walls. He only wished he had more evidence than just suspicion to be able to justify getting them all out of here. The questionable ingredients of the tea wouldn't stand either, he realised. The scent was stronger now and he'd concluded that it was just a blend of simple greens and perhaps some fruits – all of which could be found in his own garden at the Hotori mansion, so clearly weren't of any danger.

"Your Majesty," Tsukasa continued; "I cannot go so far as to give you an exact bearing, as you understand, nor her exact location on this globe, but, as it happens, I can give you this;" – the King noticeably leaned closer and Tadase silently cursed his gullible nature – "Your daughter is not as far out to sea as you might think and…" He paused, earning a raised eyebrow from the man across the table. He closed his eyes, rubbed his brows and breathed deeply and it appeared that he had effectively convinced his company that he was in fact predicting or prophesising or perhaps even meditating for all the hell they knew, but it had worked as when he looked back up again they were hanging on his every word, waiting with bated breath. "And I believe nights when the moon is new are when luck may be in your favour. I believe that on these nights you will find yourself closer… That is all I can give you."

"Thank you." Tsumugu said graciously as he rose from his chair. "I do feel comforted by your words, Mr Amakawa. Thank you."

"Your very welcome, Your Majesty." Was the reply as the man sipped again at his tea, lowering his head as if to bow without leaving his seat.

Tsumugu, seeing the man still seated, had obviously felt the need to show himself out and turned with the guards for the doors. Tadase cast a dirty look at the fortune teller who paid them no attention as they left his constellation room or observatory or whatever this madness was and caught up with the King.

"Your Ma-!"

The King opened the door with a great push and glanced back over his shoulder. "Yes, Commander?"

"U-uh…" the sudden look of joy that now settled on the man's face silenced him straight away. That hope – the hope that he had so wished to see in his rulers' eyes at the very start of all this – was shining as strong as it ever had been up 'til now and suddenly he realised that he couldn't bring himself to voice his opinions; he couldn't say that this fortune telling lark was all a con and untrustworthy and that they had all been so easily deceived – played by an insane and (daresay) genius of a fake mystic like marionettes on strings – and taken the bait that he _knew _they wished to hear. He could say all of this and more – much, _much _more! – but…

"Never mind. It was nothing, Your Majesty."

Still though he shot their host one last look of scepticism and mistrust. The man just met his eye and the Commander swore he saw the mischief dancing across his face; saw the older man turn into a joker or a trickster that had led them all into some sort of trap – led them into making stupid mistakes that they would regret.

"How impolite to not so much as show his guests out – especially when his guest is _royalty!" _Tadase almost spat once they stood back outside, heading towards the coach.

The King, however, shook his head as if to dismiss the comment, visibly trying his best not to grin at the endless possibilities that swirled within his head all thanks to Mr Tsukasa Amakawa's marvellous prediction. "I must say, Commander, so long as I find my daughter, I could not care in the slightest." He barked out laughter for a moment. "And so long as she is found in the way he said then, by Gods, that Mr Amakawa shall be expecting awards of the finest kind!"

That made the irritation flare up within the Commander's blood and he peered back at the home of the would-be psychic. How could he be so low as to lie to those most in need of a little courage and hope?

And, hold on a minute, how could he simply stand out here and not inform him of this?

"Your Majesty," Tadase began, mind set and already turning back towards the mansion; "You and the guards may head off if you wish. I'd like to speak with this Mr Amakawa one last time."

~.~.~

* * *

_(**A/N**: Ah, this chapter makes me feel much better after the last one. Feels like I'm making progress._

_I've been looking forward to properly involving Tsukasa for a while, so I hope that he appears just as mysterious and intriguing as I pictured him to be.)_


	13. Thirteen

~.~.~

"TSUKASA!"

Like a tidal wave that rushed towards the helpless town, so Tadase surged towards the double doors of the fortune teller's constellation room and threw them open with a force that nearly shook the very walls – bursting through with all the strength of a raging storm. He purposefully marched inside to find Tsukasa, sat in his chair in the middle of the room, one leg draped casually across the other and his head turned towards the light above. Despite the clear annoyance of the Commander and the growl of _"Tsukasa!" _which he let out in a moment of angered frustration, the fortune teller was surprisingly calm under his gaze and he – in his own time – turned towards the man with such a casual air that Tadase dug his nails into his palms, wishing to not lash out, for he understood that anything he did under the influence of his anger was likely to be uncalled for and irrational.

Tsukasa rose from his chair, taking a sip from the fine china teacup in his hand and said; "Ah, Tadase Hotori. What can I do for you?" And he eyed the younger man with an all-knowing look that said he knew exactly why Tadase had shown up on his doorstep for the second time that day. "I should think you'd be getting back to the King by now."

"Tsukasa!" He spat with a fierceness in his voice that he didn't even know he had and he took a giant stride or two forwards until he was but a foot away from the man who stood quietly, sipping his warm tea and watching with an interest that seemed to light up a spark in his gentle eyes. They gleamed and glittered in the dim light of the constellation room like two rare fireflies – dancing in a way that was almost calming to the Commander, but then he remembered the reason for his visit and he then decided to vent his frustrations whilst they were still so strongly present, hoping he could at least bring this strange, _strange _man back down to Earth for just a second. Why was it that he failed to understand the importance of finding Her Highness? _Why _and _how _and it was almost tormenting to think about.

Tadase lowered his voice now and he took a breath to try and calm his temper as he directed the older man. "King Tsumugu came here with the expectation that you would deliver to him an accurate prediction of the whereabouts of his daughter." Tsukasa nodded, but otherwise listened in silence. "But though His Majesty had the highest of faith in you, it was not quite hard to spot that devious twinkle in your eye, Tsukasa."

The fortune teller nodded, seemingly impressed and with a _'chink!' _set the teacup down on the saucer in his other hand. "You're a smart man, Tadase, to have figured that out."

His cool acceptance was quite startling. Would he not be worried that his little game had been found out? Should he not be afraid that the King may be told and he may be punished?

"You didn't exactly help your own case," Tadase pointed out, thinking back to their meeting earlier. "Why did you give the wrong prediction earlier?" He asked in a tone now so low it would have chilled any other person to the very core. "Why did you give false clues to His Majesty?"

There was only silence.

"For the love of God, Tsukasa," Tadase pressed; "do you not _see _the importance of this?" The calm, tranquil face that met his answer had him at a loss for words because for the life of him _he could not understand. _"All ask for is for Her Highness to be found. The King – _His Majesty _– and his wife cannot go on. You have never been a parent, Tsukasa, nor have I, yet surely you understand how strongly they must want her back…"

"As must you." Tsukasa replied finally, that all-knowing expression plastered on once more and a smirk beginning to cross his lips. "The Princess means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

His reply was immediate. "Of course."

A chuckle escaped the fortune teller's lips and he stepped backwards, tilting back his head to gaze up at the many lines and dots and any other strange markings that took on an astral role in the confusing, yet awe-inspiring map.

"Sir, I have no fear in giving myself up so very soon to you, for you would no doubt see right through me no matter how many inaccurate readings I gave. However, it is the King that I do not wish to disappoint. Tadase, you realise how desperately the King must be comforted and, more so, I do not wish for him to interfere with events far more important than your searching for the Princess of Seiyo." Tadase's jaw dropped and Tsukasa chuckled again at the expression, speaking again before the younger man could interrupt. "The stars' movements are changing." he began. "Normally, the stars would make their own way to their destinations, but this time…" he sighed; "This time the interference caused by you and His Majesty is enough to drive those stars down the wrong route. Though you mean well, it is best to let them make their own way. Everything will be alright," he concluded; "in time."

A second passed before Tadase merely scoffed. "What does this have to do with the _stars?" _He questioned, baffled beyond belief at the sudden and frankly quite outrageous turn in the conversation. He shook his head as if to forcibly rid himself of any words of Tsukasa's that may have sunk in to be taken seriously. "All we want is for Amu to be returned safely to our shores and for the _God awful _pirates who have taken her from us to be hung and, I assure you, I will stop at _nothing_ to find her!" He paused for effect before adding; "You seriously cannot expect me to believe that we may do her harm."

But Tsukasa just sighed. "Amu Hinamori is finding her own way in the world. She may be of great importance."

_"'May'?"_ the blonde – who until know had not believed the situation could get any more ridiculous – growled. "_'May_ be of great importance'? _She's the Princess of Seiyo!"_

Tsukasa looked back at him and half-shrugged. "The Lock and the Key grow ever closer. Soon the Dumpty Key will reveal itself and another chapter in the story will begin." He stated, explaining as one might explain any ordinary, everyday event – as if the concept was incredibly simple and easy to grasp.

Irritation now nagging away at the back of his brain once more, Commander Hotori raised his voice once more. "Stop speaking in riddles!" he said, exasperated. "The Lock and Key? What on Earth are you talking about? What does Her Highness have to do with a Lock or a Key?"

"You've heard the rumour, haven't you?" Tsukasa came a couple steps closer and took another sip of his tea again. "The Lock that Miss Hinamori constantly wears – the one that was passed down through her family for centuries, which is cast out of gold and shaped like a clover – you've heard that it is said to bring good fortune, haven't you?"

"A Lock that brings good fortune…" Tadase repeated, sounding somewhat distant until he rolled his eyes and dismissed the idea with a casual wave of the hand. "Like you said, Tsukasa, it's merely a rumour. I doubt that there's a hint of truth to it."

"Ah, that you are right, Mr Hotori." Tsukasa nodded in agreement and it in some way surprised Tadase to know that the fortune teller – despite his love of the heavens and for astrology – agreed that something such as a 'lucky Lock' was most probably not possible. "Now," he continued; "have you heard of the missing Key that goes with it?"

"The… Key..?"

"Yes." He nodded. "When the Humpty Lock was created – quite some centuries ago, I believe – there was a Key made to go with it; the Dumpty Key. But," he said gravely, looking once again up to the constellations spread across the ceiling and Tadase was quite troubled to notice the sombre expression on the normally cheery man's face; "no one knows of its whereabouts. The story has been lost and long forgotten by most, but if you look closely enough can still be seen in the stars…" He placed his teacup and saucer on the side table beside his chair before once again taking a seat and continuing.

"For many years the stars have been used to tell stories. In ancient times each constellation had a meaning or a story to go with it. The most recent is that of the Humpty Lock and the Dumpty Key. The Humpty Lock supposedly brings good luck; the Dumpty key supposedly brings its owner power. As you can probably understand, Commander, this is why it is greatly sought after by many, so that they may take control of countries, continents, empires, whatever they wanted." A sip from the cup of tea was taken.

"Another old rumour, or a legend, is that once the Lock and the Key come together they will reveal the map or the location of a treasure – a _Great Treasure_, beyond anybody's wildest dreams. _That_is the main reason why today many more people are searching for the Lock and Key."

Tadase was silent for a moment as he thought about the tale he had just been told. Odd, he noted somewhere in the back of his mind, that whereas minutes ago he had been convinced that this man and all of his stories were purely signs of lunacy, now he was certain that the pieces were starting to all slot together.

A Lock.

A Key.

"A Great Treasure?"

And then it hit him harder than it had moments ago. Amu was in possession of the Humpty Lock – one of the keys to obtaining this grandiose stash of riches and, of course, she had been captured by a group of seafaring criminals. What more would any pirate want? He remembered old, _old _tales of the buccaneers from ages passed and remembered legends of buried gold and hidden stashes on desert islands. It made sense.

"What is this Great Treasure?" Tadase asked, his voice now firm and hard with urgency because, now that he possibly knew why his fiancée had been abducted, he finally felt he could make some well-needed progress. "What exactly? Gold? A treasure map? Ah, Tsukasa, it all makes sense! Surely _this _is the reason for her kidnapping – the pirates are after this treasure!"

Tsukasa nodded and could not help but feel a little proud that Tadase had finally understood why he was telling this old story. "Hm," he laughed a little, putting a stop to Tadase's exclamations which truly the Commander was thankful for. Tadase breathed deeply, calming himself now that his mind was dizzily spinning with possibilities and tried to focus as Tsukasa continued;

"Many believe that the treasure is of jewels and gemstones, gold or many other precious metals. Some also believe that it is of the Humpty Lock and the Dumpty Key's special luck and power combined. Myself," he went on; "I personally believe that this treasure is not so much to do with items or powers as many have speculated, but instead the relationship towards the Lock and Key and the affection they have towards one another."

Tadase cast him a blank look and he was prompted to continue.

"The Lock and Key… The two's relationship, I must say, is quite spectacular. _And _they are a matching pair, after all, if you believe in that sort of thing." He smiled fondly, gesturing at the space in the constellation map where there could just be seen the rough outline of a clover-shaped pendant with faint, scratchy lines connecting the little white dots that were scattered across the darkness. "I have spent many of my evenings watching the heavens, Commander, and in this time I have noticed the gradual transition between light and dark in our galaxy. These two," he, side-stepping across the room, also picked out from the map the outline of a Key, similar in design to the Humpty Lock; "have for many years lacked in radiance – as sad as it sounds – but, these past few weeks have appeared to shine far brighter than I have ever seen them. It's quite extraordinary. They move, Tadase. They move across the sky itself and the closer they near one another, the brighter they glow and the more of the night sky they are allowed to see! They are undergoing great changes and they undergo it all with each other – step by step, side by side, until they glow with all their might and interlink above our very heads each night, for the more we undergo the brighter we can shine!" He grinned up at them, his passion overflowing. "And of course, when our partner is beside us for support how can we not shine so brilliantly?"

"Partner?" Tadase murmured. A knowing look from Tsukasa had him stammering. "B-But, I'm Miss Hinamori's fiancé! C-Could-"

"You are not in possession of the Dumpty Key. It cannot be you. And we will not know what sort of treasure the Lock and the Key will bring until the stars' next movements and until the Key reveals itself." He gave a small sigh. "When I talk of relationships and feelings though, Tadase, I don't necessarily mean in a romantic way… It is a possibility, but, allow me to elaborate; I think it concerns the way the two influence each other. As they grow closer they learn more about one another and in turn more about the world around them and even more about themselves. Romance is not everything in this world, but, then again, that very well depends on your opinion. It may mean everything to you, but to another it may be a mere fantasy." Tsukasa stared upwards and shook his head softly. "But of course I may be entirely wrong."

The room was quiet for a few seconds until Tadase spoke up yet again. "Where is the Dumpty Key now?"

The fortune teller shook his head. "Nobody knows. Whoever has it has been keeping it secret for generations. It was stolen soon after it was passed down through the first generation of the Hinamori family centuries ago."

"Pirates?" Tadase suggested.

The older man simply shrugged his shoulders. "Possibly, but I do know for sure that Miss Amu Hinamori is being kept by the pirates to aid them in their search for the Dumpty Key. They know she has the Lock – they couldn't miss it – and they think that she may be able to help in some way. Now, you wanted an accurate predication?" he made eye contact with the Commander. "Soon everything will work itself out and pretty soon the Great Treasure shall make itself known."

Tadase had cooled off by now and – as enlightening as this conversation had been – at this point he knew all he needed to know and didn't particularly want to stick around for more lessons on the heavens and so, politely, he decided to excuse himself and hoped that if he left as soon as possible he may be able to catch up with the King before he made it back to the Hotori's home.

"Thank you for your time, Mr Amakawa."

"Commander!"

Tadase turned back, a little irked at the sudden interruption because, God, if the fortune-teller went off again on another rant then who knew how long he'd get kept back again.

"One last piece of advice." Tsukasa began. "Tadase," his voice grew solemn – so solemn and grave that the Commander actually froze with worry; "I am worried – if not for Her Highness, then, ultimately, for you. You are a great and able Commander." He said, his words heavy. "Do not lose that all for the sake of one Princess."

Near the other side of the room now, Tadase turned, slowly and his brows furrowed at the fortune teller. His heart thumped loudly, though he did not know whether it was out of genuine fear or if it was the sudden change of attitude and the sudden thickness of the atmosphere that did it. "What are you talking about?"

Mr Amakawa's eyes were bright in the dark, but they were narrow in a way which greatly reminded the other man of the large, predatory cats he had seen cruelly caged and chained in foreign markets.

"I merely urge you: Do not get so caught up in this whole affair that you stray from the path that the stars have laid out for you. Do not give up your rightful duty or your sense of self. Not for anything."

Doubt crossed his mind only for a second. The words were grim, but Amu's situation was grimmer and his faith in Tsukasa's theories of the stars were not yet fully cemented despite his knowledge of the Lock and Key. After all, anyone who had a few select history books or who had heard the right legends would probably have been able to recall such stories. Tsukasa was knowledgeable, but his astrology was not an exact science as far as the Commander was concerned.

"With all due respect, Tsukasa," He said firmly; "I have already told myself that I will give up nothing; neither my duty, nor the Princess. Good day."

In the background the fortune teller stated coolly;

"I am worried about you, Tadase."

But the Commander let the words wash over.

"Good day, Tsukasa. I must be getting back to see the King."

And with this, his host let go and gave up to watch the man leave his home, but his eyes were still so narrow and they were clouded with something not unlike apprehension. "I see." He replied, almost dismally. "Good day. Thank you for your visit."

"Thank you for your information."

"No problem, Commander."

Nodding once in return, Tadase let out a deep breath and turned to make his leave, knowing that Tsukasa would no doubt leave him to show himself out again. He felt like his brain had been muddled and his senses shook after having such a conversation with the man. And what a strange man he was. He would sit there, stare at the 'sky' painted onto his ceiling for hours and it seemed as though he would blend into the background himself – become a part of the starry abyss – and Tadase would admit any day that he was quite baffled by this mysterious man who for all the world looked as though he belonged in the heavens himself – who appeared before any curious fellow to voice the stories of the stars and to make quite sure that they could go on and form new stories as they drifted through the galaxy. Tadase took a last glance at the constellation of the Lock which hung above his head and wondered how much truth his tales held.

And it was when he had just made it to the doorway, as his eyes began to adjust to the daylight that poured in through the windows of the hallway, that he had a new thought that made him pause and slowly turn to meet Tsukasa's eye, who had since stood up again and set the cup and saucer back down on the little table, with a puzzled expression.

"By the way," he asked, eyeing the man suspiciously; "how is it that you are aware of all that? How exactly is it that you know Amu is being used by the pirates to help find the Dumpty Key?"

Tsukasa chuckled – a chuckle of pure amusement – and before Tadase could snap at him for his lack of response, the Commander was caught by complete surprise as at that moment a piercing squawk rang through the air and from the open window behind in flew a bird of striking emerald colour. He jumped to the side as it swooped in through the open doors and watched as it came to rest upon Tsukasa's right shoulder. The fortune teller oddly enough grinned at the sight of the bird and began to affectionately ruffle the bright yellow plumage of its chest to which it let out a softer cry – a soft sound as if to thank the man for the attention and it seemed to the Commander that anyone who were watching would believe that these two very different creatures were engaging in some sort of conversation far beyond anyone else's understanding.

Tadase opened his mouth the question the bird's presence, but the words promptly died in his throat as he watched Tsukasa discreetly remove something – what exactly Tadase could not be sure – that had been attached to the parrot's leg. He heard a slight ruffling that sounded like it could have been the rubbing of parchment upon parchment. Whatever it was, Tsukasa had expertly slid the object past his wrist and into the arm of his jacket. Tadase did not mention it, but that suspicious feeling that crept up each time he glanced at the fortune teller was growing by the second.

Meanwhile Tsukasa, apparently oblivious to the Commander's stares, chuckled once more at the bird on his arm before glancing sideways in the other's direction and stating nonchalantly;

"I have my ways."

~.~.~

* * *

_(__**A/N**__: Ah, I've waited so long to publish this one. This was the first chapter I wrote for this fanfic and it's so satisfying to finally have it up. Though, frankly, I'm amazed that I actually managed to write enough of it at all to be able to post it._

_Unlike most of this story, this chapter has stayed relatively unchanged except for added detail and the corrections of irritating grammar mistakes of time long past… Oh how I hate going over old writing, but I'd quite like to hear your thoughts on this __articular chapter if you've actually gotten this far ^^;_

_But enough of my random talking. I hope you enjoyed and I'd like to thank those who have read/reviewed/followed etc. so far.)_


	14. Fourteen

~.~.~

Having travelled the globe; taken the tide as it came and drifting out into the deepest, furthermost uncharted regions (well, once uncharted at least, and when the rich, posh snobs had sent out only the best of adventurers to investigate these foreign realms it had been goodbye to some of the most famed pirate settlements in the small islands to the south and now Kazuomi could only skirt briefly round those lands during the winter months when the new settlers had abandoned the choppy seas for warm and toasty fires at home on familiar ground) there was little in this world that Captain Ichinomiya had not braved during his time. The last of the wild natives in the tropics; the snarling of the most vicious predators in the frozen lands up north; the chill and the wind and rain in the howling gales of hurricanes like some primeval beast that swallows up all in its path. But for all the grand adventures and voyages he had taken in this last decade or so on Earth, it had to be said that there were some mistakes he had wished many a time to just take back and bury under the floorboards, stuff under the rug and never allow into the light of day again.

The most meagre of these faults, he had to say, would most definitely be that foul creature that perched upon the end of his bedpost; cawing and twittering and scattering those pesky little feathers all over the fine woven sheets. If there was one thing that Captain Kazuomi Ichinomiya positively hated it was those damned feathers. Not to mention the parrot itself.

"_Clear off!"_

The thing launched itself off the bed – wings flapping madly and sending more of those bloody green things soaring throughout the cabin – and settled instead on the spare chair across the desk.

'_Curse this bird,' _Kazuomi thought, casting the parrot a filthy look; _'Thick as a bloody brush and yet still I keep the dozy thing.'_

He caught sight of the scroll on its scrawny leg and reminded himself before he started priming his pistol that the thing was still of use and that it would be a waste to shoot it now. He settled himself with the thought that once it got too old for service he would cook it. He'd never had parrot before – never heard of anywhere that actually served it, to be honest. Perhaps it was a delicacy on some islands with a more primitive population, but, until he could find enough reason to end the poor creature's life, he was sure he could find it. It was then as he began to consider which the taste would be closer to – chicken or pheasant or perhaps turkey? – that the bird squawked – a harsh and shrill sort of sound – as if for attention and the Captain finally wandered over and took the little piece of parchment. It cocked out its leg as if to offer it to its master and Kazuomi almost looked impressed. It was always such a dumb bird after all.

The Captain drew his attention away from the parrot and cast his eyes over the first sentence of the message. His mouth twisted into a wry, sardonic grin and the wickedness touched his eyes.

"So the Royal Navy have started their search?" he said, his tone calm and yet somehow still chilling to the very core. Daichi the parrot let out a cry so alarming as if to show its sudden discomfort, but the pirate Captain didn't seem to hear and chuckled to himself, tossing the scrap of a note onto the desk and muttering that those 'little sailor boys' weren't close enough to cause a panic yet.

They had the Princess – sure to starve away in her cabin within the week and give up all her secrets and place that little golden Lock right into the palm of his hand just as planned. He glanced out the window, watching the sea spray rise and fall and spurt out in great tower-like formations from under the stern like steam escaping from a chimney. Focusing on the far-off horizon – unbroken by rocks or islands or great continents – he wondered when the first sail would pop up in the distance. The Royal Navy was finally searching for their lost Princess and he wondered if he'd be seeing them soon.

~.~.~

In the stifling heat of the midday sun that beat down onto the docks the men were moving faster; pushing themselves harder than before all in effort of finishing the task at hand as quickly as they could, for all each man really wanted was a seat in the cool shade and a serving of ale and a chance to rest their aching bones after all that exertion. Barrels were wheeled and heaved aboard; arms counted and checked off long, official-looking lists; sails were hoisted and trimmed and hang limply from the yards – an unwelcome reminder of the lack of breeze on this hot day which would have been greatly welcomed by each and every worker. Even His Majesty as he stepped out from the pleasant temperature of the coach that stopped by the first quay patted the perspiration from his forehead with a little silk handkerchief. He glanced around and seemed visibly pleased with the hard working scene he saw before him. He glanced at his wife and gave her a reassuring look as if to say: "These men are good. These men will find our daughter."

They found the Commander – head of this voyage – in a little inn across from the dockside sat by the window with the Captains of the ships that were being prepared to set sail that afternoon; glasses of port in each of their hands and a platter of fine little finger foods on the table. Seeing the two royals, heads were bowed and glasses placed aside. Tsumugu was introduced to each of the Captains – five of them crowded round the table and the King was a little uneasy with the knowledge that only five ships would be sent out initially. Five ships could not effectively scour the seas, but he knew that a further _fleet _of ships would soon after be sent to their aid and so he shoved aside his doubts and reassured himself of the positives of their plan as he looked ahead at the Commander – the finest, most loyal young man he could ever have chosen to take his daughter's hand in marriage and with an excellent head for tactics if ever he saw one.

"I applaud your work, Commander." The King said earnestly, gesturing out to the five vessels that could be seen clearly through the window. "They are fine crafts, without a doubt."

Tadase smiled gratefully at the King's words and peered over his shoulder at the ships for himself. "Thank you, Your Majesty, and they are the five finest that I could get my hands on. Surely, I believe, there would be none better for such a journey." He stated with the confidence of a leader that Tsumugu loved to see in him and he took a seat at the spare chair beside him.

"Tadase," he began; "I would love to oversee the crews' work for this afternoon." He said. "I shall watch as these vessels leave Seiyo, for sure, but it would very much settle me further to watch as they're made seaworthy and you are doing this all for the sake of my daughter, after all, and I feel it would be wrong of me to ignore the work you're doing here."

"Your Majesty," Tadase replied; "you shouldn't have to ask." He rose from the table and made eye contact with each of the five Captains. "I shall take His Royal Highness on my inspection of the work, my men. Do call for us some more port when we return."

The men said they would and Tadase led his small group of the King and Queen and the two ever present guards out of the inn and into the bright light of day where the work still continued.

"They are…" Midori watched the crew of the middle vessel – the Seraphic Charm – weave their way through the shrouds and the ratlines like spiders across a web of rope with such skill and agility that she would brace herself if one wavered as if expecting them to fall and come tumbling down onto the deck. "A very spirited crew."

Tadase was about to ready himself to scold a few workers when that was said, but as he saw them hard at work he instead smiled as he realised she was instead complimenting their work ethic. "_The _best in His Majesty's Navy." He commented, proud with his crews, for he was sure that, with a team so tightly strung and capable of guiding ships through treacherous waters, to not find Amu was near impossible.

"Tadase…" His Majesty began and the tone of his voice was so soft and suddenly so very weary that the Commander found it hard not to whip his head back round and stare at the King with a questioning expression. "You have an excellent crew; excellent crafts… You have possibly the greatest drive and determination that I have ever witnessed… And it means so much to us," he turned and looked at the younger male with honest eyes and a hint of sorrow in his voice that truly tugged at the Commander's heart and even filled him with disgust because a person would have to be so horribly low and vile to tear such a loving family apart; "Thank you, Tadase."

Tadase was, for a moment, too stunned to reply until it dawned upon him and he eyed the couple with a knowing stare; "You didn't come here today to oversee the work, did you, Your Majesty?"

The King laughed lightly. "Well, I admit for both myself and my wife that we do have interest in this dock today," – he gestured towards the quays where the five ships bobbed gently on the shallow waves in a hypnotising rhythm – "but what I really want to see for myself is that passion you have in this journey. You are a great leader and you know, Tadase, throughout all of this it somehow appears that I have found myself depending on you. I am astounded that I would allow myself to become so reliant, but it has made me realise that, really, I have far more faith in you than you may believe." He looked past the man and out to the sea and his eyes shone with the reflection of the sunlight on the water. "I realise that, when it comes to my daughter, I rely on you." – and now he faced Tadase once again and their eyes were fastened in a lock from which Tadase found he could not bring himself to pull away from – "I rely on you to keep my daughter safe because I know that you are the best man for the job… And I really don't believe I could have found a better man for her."

"Your Majesty…" Tadase could not find the words to respond. His mouth opened and closed hopelessly like a flapping fish out of water as he tried and tried again to form a sentence, but no words were made, no sounds could form in his throat. He marvelled at the display of sincerity; the frankness; the pure blind _faith _that was unbelievably dangerous for a King to place in someone, yet somehow… he had. And he – the great King of Seiyo – had placed it in _him._

Finally he found the words that he was sure he had repeated many, many times these past few days, but it was all he could get out right now and, as far as he was concerned, would settle the couple well enough to enable him to get back to his work and get out there to find his future bride with haste.

"Your Majesty, I am flattered. I can assure you, that I will do everything I can possibly do to retrieve her safe and sound."

It seemed to do the trick and soon the King and Queen were called by one of the guards – Tsumugu had a meeting with a Lord from the next town over to attend to and they quite reluctantly left the docks in peace. And so Tadase was left there at the edge of the quay, realising the weight of his promise, but vowing for the umpteenth time that all would not be in vain. He would carry out his promises and bring Amu Hinamori back safely. He would do all he could. He would make those responsible pay and then return – back to the Hotori mansion where the King and Queen would stay – with their daughter in tow and keep her from harm until his dying day because he would never forgive himself if she were ever to be targeted by those disgraceful cutthroats ever again.

He vowed and vowed the same over and over again until those vows were etched in his mind like carvings upon stone and he repeated them every so often to remind him of his goals and keep his determination as strong as ever in the hopes that it would power him through whatever what was to come. As he boarded the Seraphic Charm later that same afternoon – surrounded by navy men scurrying about the deck – and departed from his seaside town and into the unknown, he glanced back at the retreating figures of His and Her Majesties and he knew that he could not bear to see them again without Amu on his arm. Standing on the forecastle and staring out ahead at the sea, he wondered what on Earth he might encounter. He saw in his mind the legendary tales of buccaneers and buried gold; of maroons abandoned on faraway shores; of the evil deeds and evil ways of a pirate's life as they skipped from shore to shore, plundering and thieving and torching buildings and leaving all to wreck and ruin. And then in amongst the fires and the smoke and the sea-battles of vicious, pirate Captains there caught his eye a flash of pink – a pink-haired beauty emerged from the middle, stood up by the bow of some rugged vessel, calling out to the sea for anyone who may be listening and pleading them for help.

To think that Amu may be involved in such a free-for-all way of life caused dread to pool in his stomach and Tadase took a calming breath.

'_Wait for me,' _he silently asked the gorgeous woman; _'Wait for me, Amu, because I'll reach you soon. Soon I'll find you and I'll bring you back – back to where you're meant to be.'_

The imaginary woman smiled gratefully and Tadase beamed back.

~.~.~

"The start of the journey is moving quickly underway…" Tsukasa mused, stood upon the balcony of his home and staring out to the sea where only hours earlier the five ships had vanished over the horizon – mere smudges of white and brown in the distance. "Of course, the Commander paid no attention to my warnings… But no matter. The stars cannot be shifted so easily."

And so the voyage had begun and the pages started to turn – a new chapter in the course of the heavens and of those two bright constellations that would light up the sky each night like lanterns hung outside country inns at night to guide the way of travellers – and here the mystic fortune teller would stand on his balcony in the orange sunset, waiting for the night to fall so that the stars may act out their stories upon a heavenly stage that encompassed the globe and allowed for all to see – whether they be a Princess or a pirate or a King.

"Whoever you may be," he whispered as he cast his eyes over the fading sky and settled to lean on the rails; "the stars will still gaze down just as brightly; just as strongly… No matter who…" he trailed off, but gathered his thoughts just as quickly. "In this wild race across the seven seas, I wonder how great a coincidence must be for them to cross paths?"

All was silent for but a second as a tiny little dot had suddenly flared to life against the clouds and the man looked up with an 'ah!'.

"My, my, the first star already." A light breath of laughter. "And right in the centre of the Lock's keyhole." He traced the outline with a finger and gazed upon the one little star with the warmth and fondness one would give an old friend.

"Let's see where the tide may take it."

~.~.~

* * *

_**Definitions**_

**Forecastle**: _The space at the front end of a ship below the main deck, traditionally where the crew's quarters were located._

**Yard**: The beams across the masts to which the sails are attached.

**Shrouds**: The ropes that form the rigging of a ship and support the masts and topmasts.


	15. Fifteen

~.~.~

In the month that had passed, Amu could have confidently said that she had become quite used to the ship known as the Shining Black. Though many of the days and weeks aboard the ship were almost the same, it in a way helped. She knew their routines; she knew how they worked and lived; she knew about their rather vague pecking order, although there really wasn't a standard order at all. The Captain was at the top, of course, yet there was no single quartermaster, rather that the small group of burly brutes that intimidated Amu so all seemed to have a shared 'quartermaster' role and people would treat them as such without much question, but she was used to it and had stopped questioning the unorthodox ranks long ago. She was used to it. She was used to the order; used to being woken up at the first light of day with but a scrap of food to keep her going and she was fairly sure she had been reduced to but a bag of bones and skin, underweight and near malnourished. Though, the thing that Amu found most bothered her – kept her up and tossing and turning in the dead of night when she actually had the time to think – was that so far she still had no clue of whatever Captain Ichinomiya wanted with her. It still drove her mad. She knew he wanted the Lock, but she didn't know _why _and Ikuto still wouldn't give in, but she knew better than to complain lest she face the wrath of Kazuomi Ichinomiya and his freshly-sharpened cutlass.

But otherwise there was not much else to say. The crew remained lively and rambunctious; the Captain as cold as the blade of a knife; and life had carried on in the exact same way as the day Amu first set foot upon the Shining Black. They had narrowly avoided one bad storm (although Amu herself had actually not been present to witness their near peril as the squall had been sighted hours before she had even risen from the comfort her bed) and over the course of the last two weeks they had seen three ships dotted against the horizon – not of the Royal Navy (much to the pleasure of the crew members), but they had instead been identified as most probably merchant ships headed east for the new, great trade markets of foreign, exotic continents, hoping to make business with new neighbours. It was a melancholy feeling for Amu to gaze upon these far-off vessels – staring with her own eyes at the ships so strongly linked with the civilised world she knew and came from, yet out of reach from here on her new, untamed world of unlawfulness, so very distant and alien in comparison. It seemed as if normal life was out of reach as the three schooners vanished from sight… and Amu had felt more isolated than she ever had before.

Apart from that though, nothing else had happened. Nothing at all.

Life carried on as normal on the Shining Black and Amu was beginning to wonder if she would ever escape the place.

Having become accustomed to waking at ridiculously early hours of the morning, Amu found that her sleeping patterns had adapted to match her wake-up alarm of Ikuto rapping on the door with a tray of food and perhaps, if she was lucky, a change of clothes. She didn't know where or how Kazuomi had a supply of women's clothing, but she didn't ask. Perhaps they were Utau's – in which case the Princess was a little wary of using them, for she had the feeling that the blonde across the corridor (whom she hadn't seen at all since that one late night) didn't welcome her on this ship at all, but she had no choice and so each morning went through her regular routine of dressing and eating before Ikuto returned.

But straight away it dawned on her that this morning was strange. Even whilst awake, exhaustion still hung over her like a thick, grey fog. She groaned and, in a movement that took all the effort left in her body, she managed to peel open her eyes wide enough to let the light of the early morning sunrise in. The light stung and a painful headache had flared up behind her eyes. She closed them again with another groan. It felt like her body was drained of energy and as if her head had in her sleep been battered with something horribly hard and heavy.

It seemed that at last some sort of illness had fallen upon her – something she had anticipated near the very start of her stay here what with all the filthy men and the questionable state of cleanliness down in the very bottom depths of the hold, but had recently been forgotten; pushed to the back of her mind and replaced with other things such as the mystery shrouding the Lock around her neck. But right now she couldn't have cared less about the Humpty Lock or whatever the hell Kazuomi wanted with it. Her entire body ached – drained of energy – and her mood had long since plummeted all the way down to the keel of the ship and was now probably drowning in the constant attack of the waves. Although perhaps she could avoid work that day; Amu thought to herself, for surely with her groggy, lethargic state Ikuto would see she was unfit for duty. Amu thought this over in her weary mind, adjusting her position under the covers–

"_Ah!"_

–only to wince quite audibly in pain as her skin seemingly caught fire at the touch of the fabric. Now stunned and increasingly worried (because whilst her joints may ache there was really no reason for her skin to sting like she'd just rolled on a patch of nettles) she forced herself to sit upright, half-heartedly flinging back the covers and ignoring the sudden dizzy spell as her head swam.

The first shock was to spot the tiny red patches that covered her skirt. Her heart began to thump loudly within her ears and she tried desperately to ignore it as it pulsed throughout her head. Running a finger over one particularly bad patch of bloody pin-pricks on her thigh proved a significant mistake as almost the entire thing began to protest painfully, the soreness flaring up to the touch and making her moan – half with the hurt and half with dread. What kind of dreadful illness (_disease even?_) could she possibly have found herself lumbered with? And, yes, it was true, that for the past few days she had been feeling a bit 'off', as it were, but she had never assumed that it would escalate into _this _– to her blood apparently escaping through unseen wounds!

Now with confusion and worry helping her to power through her symptoms, Amu was about to raise her skirt and check the damage underneath when a rapping at the door made her freeze – normally the thought of Ikuto seeing her in her nightdress would make her mortified, but now was not the time to fret over something so trivial in comparison and so she simply sat and waited for him to appear.

"Rise and shine." Ikuto said as he entered the room, speaking in that shattered tone of voice that always made Amu wonder if he'd only just risen himself or whether he'd gone to see the Captain right before his arrival. He placed a tray of the usual breakfast on the table. "Get ready and–"

The moment he stopped Amu knew he'd seen the state she was in. She forced herself to meet his eyes and was a little taken aback to see them wide with concern. It was a strange expression to see on his face in particular – strange at least when she considered the usual indifferent face he usually wore before her and the Captain and, come to think about it, just about everyone on the entire ship.

"Ikuto–"

"Sit up straight."

It was a serious command and her body obeyed it before she could stop herself. "Wha- What are you doing?" she stuttered, eyes following his figure almost cautiously as he drew closer, visibly hurrying over, and crouch down beside the bed. There was an urgency there that worried her and she hadn't realised that it had drawn her attention until she felt his hand brush against her thigh – a soft touch in careful manner that she could not miss – and she yelped a little in shock, shooing the man away. "What on _Earth _do you think you're _doing?"_

Ikuto shot her a frosty look so full of impatience and frustration that for a moment she felt like a small child being scolded by their parent; being told to be a good girl and step back in line because they were only trying to help, after all, so she should stop being so stubborn and silly and take the help they offered her. The feeling was so unusually strong that it made her want to scoot away and hide under the covers for a while – another child-like display of embarrassment. He must have noticed, Amu realised, because a second later he'd forcibly rid his face of that exasperation and stressed clearly;

"I need to see how bad it is, Amu."

Amu met his gaze. It was a calm gaze now and that awful childish feel that she hated so badly melted away enough for her to simply nod and move her hand from where it had clenched the edge of her skirt. Ikuto seemed to get the message and he couldn't stop himself from chuckling.

"I'm not going to do anything bad." He explained, by now apparently understanding that force and urgency wasn't going to do anything to put the woman at ease. And then something unlike anything she'd ever seen before flashed across his face and he added in a teasing tone; "Was Her Highness perhaps thinking of quite naughty things?"

She didn't have it in her to snap at him, so she just brushed and listened to him chuckle at himself before he carried on. He looked pretty amused even after she'd given in. Damn pirate.

Amu watched apprehensively, for she of course hadn't inspected the true source of the tiny blood spots for herself yet and she wasn't sure she wanted to see whatever lay beneath the fabric of her clothes, as Ikuto, with a hesitancy in his movements, slowly tugged back the layer of material to inspect the bleeding skin. As for the top half of her body, the heiress became aware of a sudden sensation of giddiness and it was only then she realised that she must have been blushing quite badly because suddenly her face felt hot now as well. She was thankful that Ikuto stopped when he reached the mid-point of her thighs. Any higher and there was no way he'd be allowed to step foot inside her cabin ever again – however badly plagued by illness she might have been.

"Bloody hell…"

His stunned tone brought her back to the present yet again. She looked down and felt a bit sick. Patches of skin had burst out in dreadful crimson splotches – some of the oozing stuff bright red like tiny beads of glass shining in the daylight – and, now exposed to the cool air above the sheets, a wave of irritating itchiness swept across the surface of her legs. Ikuto placed a fingertip ever so gently onto the biggest patch next to one of her knees. The following sensation made her nearly kick his hand away. Ikuto mumbled something unintelligible.

"Let me see the back," he uttered absent-mindedly, far too focused on scrutinising her symptoms and staring at the angry outbreaks in mild fascination. She raised her legs by a fraction, but he deemed it acceptable and cocked his head to get a better view of the skin underneath. By the look on his face she could tell it was worse, but by now she was far too absorbed in the way he carried out his actions – the way he so gently trailed his hands across the skin; slowly and carefully as if one wrong move might make the awful bleeding blotches even worse and by the patterns she felt traced down on the underside of her leg she guessed that he deliberately weaved around the inflamed places, careful not to disturb or touch sensitive patches unless he needed to. The short spell of vertigo from earlier had disappeared, but she still heard her own heart thudding away within her chest – now not so rapid, but steady and strong and sending little jolts of warmth throughout her body as she focused on the hands of this pirate who viewed her here with such concern that she really felt extremely grateful because he didn't have to look after her wellbeing at all and yet... It made her wonder; just how callous was Ikuto?

His thumb brushed a soft, sensitive patch of skin (though she couldn't say he was acting on purpose) and her heart jumped, her chest fit to burst as her face pooled with heat.

But, oh God, it suddenly dawned on her that – _dear Lord _– he was seeing things; seeing parts of her that none other had seen before and it was indecent and shocking and embarrassing because _'Oh my, he's touching me– How far is he going to go..?'_

All of a sudden Amu felt yet more of that pleasant warmth building up somewhere on that limb that Ikuto currently examined and when she glanced back down she saw that he'd (seemingly) subconsciously placed his spare hand on her calf. Just as she paid notice to this she felt his thumb drag itself across a good patch of skin beneath her thigh and she broke out in goose-bumps at the sensation. She couldn't describe it, but by no means was it unpleasant.

"I-Ikuto," she began, reluctantly because his hands _did _feel pleasant, but at the same time she was aware that she _shouldn't_ be feeling such– such vile _things _at all. She was a noble woman. No one, after all, but her husband should see that much of her skin until she was married and yet here was this scoundrel with such a pleasant touch making her head reel so badly.

"Ikuto, what is it?" She asked, referring, of course, to the sore pin-pricks.

"I…" Ikuto trailed uncertainly which did no good to settle the woman's nerves. "It can be treated."

His pathetic excuse of an answer was far from reassuring, but she didn't have the chance to pester him about it because he then stood – Amu realised she was actually disappointed when she felt cold with the absence of his hands – and said; "Stay there," before heading for the door and apparently abandoning her in the cabin.

Seconds ticked by and Amu stared at the spot in the door where he'd disappeared – only bothering to close it halfway as well! Anybody could walk past! Anyone could just stroll past that door and peer in and see her sitting there like a spare part with the skirt of her nightdress around her thighs. As it was she felt rather uncomfortable with the amount of skin on show. Being laden with long dresses and shawls and sleeves and layers upon layers of petticoats had left little space for the air to reach her skin – not to mention those dreaded corsets.

'_I swear,' _Amu thought grimly as she shoved the skirt back down; _'if I get peeped on by some per-'_

'_Pervert.'_

Pervert.

Pervert…

"Oh God," she groaned aloud. She was heating up again at the memory of those gentle hands gliding upon soft, supple skin. "I am a pervert." To think; the daughter of the King and Queen of Seiyo; heiress to the empire – a _pervert. _How shameful, she considered, to think a young woman with such high standards and solid morals and looked upon with respect by all her people would in reality be tainted with such vulgar notions at the touch of a _buccaneer._

"My parents would be ashamed," Amu mumbled, full of self-disgust – not to mention that air of confusion. After all, it was only human nature – people could not help having emotions that they didn't wish for?

Just then Amu felt a thud reverberating even through the bed on which she sat. It appeared that Ikuto had actually been hurrying back to reach the cabin and as usual his thick footwear had battered the boards of the floor probably to within an inch of their life. Ikuto re-entered the room and when he reached the bed held out a hand. Between his fingers the Princess caught sight of a fleshy, yellow fruit and she frowned.

"You brought me a lemon?"

The statement was so full of bewilderment that he actually bit back a smile. "Here," Ikuto dropped the fruit and Amu caught it in her palm with ease; "You'll need this. It'll help you heal."

Amu studied the item in her hand as thoroughly and closely as her father inspected all his contracts and treaties and whatever other official files that were his duty to sign. As for the lemon itself there was nothing out of the ordinary, but she viewed it anyway. Lowering her hand she let out a dry laugh and raised an eyebrow at the man stood in front of her; "So you're telling me that I'm sat here bleeding without explanation and all I really need is a lemon?"

This time Ikuto actually laughed and Amu discovered that it was actually extremely pleasing to hear the sound – Lord knew he probably hadn't done so in a very long time. When he'd calmed and taken a breath, Ikuto gestured to those awful blood splotches that stained her skirt as she stood (albeit awkwardly, but, since having woken and losing the shroud of sleep, she began to feel like she may be able to stand for a few moments).

"Sorry," he began, though Amu wasn't sure why he would be apologising at all, but she let him continue; "I made the mistake of not giving them to you the moment you began staying here. You've developed a touch of scurvy…" The mere sound of the dreaded sailor's illness she'd heard so much about back home was enough to plaster a horrified expression on her face and Ikuto began to backtrack over his own words to try and relax her again. "But it's fine – as I said, you can cure it easily. Citrus fruits prevent it."

"S-Scurvy, huh?" Amu repeated, now looking at the lemon in her hand with relief rather than confusion. She held it up again and questioned; "I eat it?"

Ikuto nodded, took the fruit back from her and then unsheathed a small pocket knife from the inside of his boots and halved the lemon. Amu took half and grimaced as the harsh juice ran back down her wrist and made all the minute, but painful blisters and rashes on her hands scream in protest. The Princess knew that the thing would taste far from pleasant, but if it rid of this awful plague of sore spots and blood patches, then what did she have to lose?

Meanwhile, Ikuto stared with intrigue at the way the woman eyed the object in her palm as if it were some sort of dangerous, threatening item not to be taken lightly – like a weapon or a fistful of powder. She looked like she was having an internal battle with herself: 'To eat or not to eat?'

"What?" he spoke with a hint of humour in his deep and throaty voice. "You've never eaten a lemon before?" The annoyed scowl made him want to laugh out loud again, but he restrained himself and just smirked at her, knowing that she just didn't want to taste that unappealing, sour thing. "Alright," Ikuto let out a weary breath, accepting the fact that he wasn't going to get a verbal response; "you eat that and get dressed and I'll come back in about half an hour. Don't take those lightly. If you stop eating them you'll just feel worse." He paused at the door and smirked again once seeing she was back to scanning her lemon. Amu caught his gaze and then looked away, quickly and embarrassed, as she noticed the amusement in his expression.

'_This girl's hilarious.'_

Ikuto shut the door behind him and leaned against the wall of the corridor, a mischievous smirk still playing upon his lips as he placed his head beside the doorframe and strained to hear any sign of sound through the wood. As predicted, five minutes later a great deal of spluttering was heard plus a curse or two directed at the flavour of that 'damned little lemon'. A cheeky grin lit up his face and he laughed quietly to himself.

'_She really needs to get used to that.'_

~.~.~

* * *

_**Definitions**_

**Schooner**: A type of sailing ship – fast with two or more masts.

_(__**A/N**__: I am so done editing this chapter._

_I only briefly looked up scurvy for this fic… I didn't pay too much attention aside from general symptoms. Years ago I remember walking into a biology lesson and being greeted with close-ups of scurvy victims. I didn't fancy looking at it any more than I needed to._

_And I finally feel like I can work towards Ikuto's character becoming more like he is in the original. I've had him fairly distant until now and I miss the cheeky cat-boy we all know and love.)_


	16. Sixteen

~.~.~

The smoke that churned from within the hold of the battered sloop coloured the sky grey; plunged it into darkness and shadowed its deck – highlighting the sense of tragedy and catastrophe that had engulfed the once cheerful and light-hearted scene. The air would have sickened Tadase – a man already hardened by the needless destruction and smoke of naval warfare – but it was the pirate hunched and captured, held by the two honest men of his own search party, that reminded the Commander why they had reduced this poor vessel to a smoking, blackened bulk of debris and ash. He wafted still smoking embers from his line of sight and strode forwards through the wreck and ruin with all the authority he could muster – achieved only through years of good, loyal service to The Crown.

They had sighted this vessel two days ago, yet, due to unpredictable winds and inconvenient currents, they had only just caught up to it an hour or so ago. Tadase had nearly given up hope of pursuing the ship – or the Devil's Tune as it was apparently known – but, as luck would have it, they had been significantly hindered due to an oncoming storm and it was that blessed ball of rain and wind that the Commander had to thank for the capture of the craft.

The battle between the two had been unsurprisingly short-lived. After all, what little sloop could compete with a full-rigged man-of-war? They had been poor, relatively unsuccessful pirates with a shortage of arms and little supplies to last more than a few more weeks. Taking them out had been child's play. And so across the deck there lay countless bodies of buccaneers who, if captured, would have only been doomed to face the hangman's noose anyway – a humiliating, degrading end placed in the public square for all to see like some sort of morbid circus show – and so the men justified the slaughter as a cruel sort of compassion in which the men could pass away with what little dignity they had clung to until the very last.

Having killed the crew and searched the hold for any sign or trace of prisoners, all that remained for Tadase to interrogate was the pirate Captain – a scrawny, uncouth, sea-going fellow who had done quite a remarkable job surviving the bloodshed and making it through the day to see the Commander waltz his way through the rubble and onto the quarterdeck. The Captain was tied at the wrists, his shoulders secured by the men behind him, one of which kept a hand free to aim a musket at his skull. At such close range, Tadase didn't think he wanted to be around if the Officer decided to fire.

The moment Tadase laid eyes upon the man he growled – to think that this man before him could be involved in Amu's disappearance made him utterly furious. But he had to save his anger until he knew for definite who the dirty scumbag was and so he simply brandished his sabre and placed it against his throat all the while with a steely determination in his eyes – chilling and unforgiving – because he was there for answers. And answers he would get.

The pirate on the floor just looked at him blankly for a moment before his thin line of a mouth transformed into a mocking smirk. "Those're the eyes of a madman, lad."

He would not allow the man to taunt him so easily. He settled for running the blade down the side of his neck, pressing it against the skin only so far as to thinly cut, but he tightened his grip on the hilt and made it quite clear that he would not hesitate to take the man's head of if he must.

The pirate glanced down at the trickle of blood that dripped onto his collar and looked as if he wanted to laugh. "Is but a _scratch!"_

"I shan't be so gentle next time," Tadase warned; "you _filthy _buccaneer."

"Lad," the pirate Captain began, rolling his eyes; "I know what you've gone and busted up my ship for and I can tell you – I don't know where Her Maj'sty's gone. I haven't the foggiest, lad! But, I can _assure_ you, you won't find her here, Commander."

Tadase said nothing and glanced up at the Officer who aimed his musket at the rogue's head.

"It's true that we've searched the decks down below, Commander," the Officer said; "and we've found no trace of evidence to suggest that Her Highness has been here. He–" – he nudged the pirate in the back with his boot – "–is insistent that he doesn't know where Her Highness may be. You may not like it, sir, but I doubt these men would even be able to pull off a kidnapping."

The second Officer scoffed. "This lot weren't even able to rob themselves a good quantity of provisions! They nearly ran out of powder after ten minutes of fire!"

Taking this information in, the Commander frowned, looked to the Officer, then the rogue, then back to the Officer again and sighed. Slowly sheathing his weapon, he with reluctance forced himself to accept that, yet again, this could not possibly the man responsible for Her Highness' capture.

"We'll take him back to Seiyo as a prisoner." Tadase decided. "The crew may have been slain at sea, but their Captain shall face justice under the hand of the law upon our return."

"Yes, sir."

Tadase couldn't bring himself to look at the pirate as he was dragged back to the man-of-war to be secured in the brig, but the man called after him;

"God's speed, my lad! God's speed!"

He did not turn around until the man's cries had vanished and then, standing alone on the deck of the ship, he rubbed his temples and told himself one more time that this would not be easy; that they _would _eventually find his fiancée even if it took him to the end of the world and back again. He saw the bodies scattered across the floor – a grim warning to any other rogue who crossed the now abandoned sloop's path; a reminder that the navy would put an end to their unlawful lifestyles on behalf of the King; a reminder that the Royal Navy was on a mission and this was how far they were willing to go if the fate of their Highness hung in the balance. A royal flag fluttered in the breeze high above, the pirate's own colours torn to shreds at the base of the mast. It was a depressing scene.

The month had passed with little success. They had captured rogues that were now eating away at their own provisions and any day now one of their ships would have to return to secure the prisoners behind bars on land. They would be one entire ship down and it would be even more of a struggle. Yet all the while all Tadase could think about was how desperately he wanted to see his future bride again. He couldn't focus on the prisoners or maintenance or writing up all his reports about the voyage so far. He was anxious to see her again – he prayed that she was safe and in one piece. He just wanted Amu back and his desire and his longing only strengthened every day he searched without her.

"Commander?"

Tadase turned to find the Captain of his own vessel beckoning him back onto the ship. Apparently there had been sightings of another pirate ship to the south-west – an unusual location for this time of year – and he hurried back over, eager to get the journey there underway. Drifting away, he glanced back at the ruined sloop and wondered how many more would end that way until they had reached their Princess.

~.~.~

Utau knew she shouldn't have come out today. Really, she should have known right from the very start that this could only have been a bad move and it was definitely not coming from her better judgement, but here she was; stood on the quarterdeck of the Shining Black and just wanting to crawl back inside and into her cabin and lock herself in for the next month. Again.

People were staring and whispering and she knew that she really should have expected it – she had been cooped up inside that cabin for weeks now – but still, to be under their ever-present gaze and scrutiny… It made the hairs stand up on the back of her neck; goose-bumps jump up to the surface of her arms even under the heat of the sun; and she just knew that if she were to go back now she'd be subjected to the harsh sneers and jeering of her 'crew mates'. Utau knew she couldn't go back. After she'd summoned up the courage to venture outside her pride would not allow it. Besides, she had been looking awfully pale as of late and she knew that the sun would do her good.

'_All I have to do,' _she thought calmly as she slowly took the first few steps down the companionway, casually glancing round once or twice to confirm once again that most of the crews' eyes were upon her; _'is get to work – perhaps down below. I'm sure I could find something to do… Act normally and these foul creatures should lose interest in an hour…'_

She had now reachedthe gangway and the hatchway itself was in sight. Utau mentally did some calculations of some sort and concluded that she would be able to reach the hatch before anyone came near her. There was a group of scrawny buccans to her right who were the closest, but she figured that they wouldn't be quite as interested as the more… _unusual _men which only left those two big, bulky guys within reaching distance and _they _were on the other side of the gangway, so she reasoned that she was safe. She took a breath, glared at the two beasts that leered at her and marched her way towards the hatch; on the exterior with all the confidence and resolve of a woman, but inside the shaking, quivering mess of a pathetic child surrounded by bullies. But she wouldn't let them bother her anymore, she told herself. Never again.

'_Honestly,' _Utau wondered; _'how can _she s_tand to come out here every day? Does she not feel the way I feel? Do they not treat her the same?' _And with this thought, Utau's pace slowed as she looked over her shoulder in an effort to try and spot the woman who was beginning to frustrate her so, although she didn't know exactly why.

She found Princess Hinamori on the opposite gangway – the starboard side – hunched over her brush and bucket and apparently in physical pain as she tried to drive the object across the planks. Utau sighed. It was a pitiful sight. Had she not been doing that same work for half the time she'd been with them? And yet she still couldn't manage a _brush? _But, then again, Utau realised, this was the life of the rich – everything done for you; never having to lift a finger in your entire life and sitting on a pedestal for all to admire and yet the only reason you have a penny to your name is all because your ancestors worked much harder than you ever did.

But with that Utau felt momentary relief from her frustration. Yes, she may be sleep-deprived and underweight and too shaky to step outside the safety from her cabin, but at least when it came down to it she could look after herself – _she _could lift a bloody scrubbing brush. _She _had the upper hand…

Or at least that's what she thought until she saw the blood.

"Oh God…" the blonde murmured, more in surprise than horror, when noticed saw the dark, dried bloodstains smeared across her lower back – just visible through the fabric of her dress. In stunned silence, she watched the Princess continue her work. Her face creased when she lowered her hands into the bucket. Her nails were probably bleeding too. The sailor's disease was an unwelcome killer feared by the Captains of ships, but, so long as Amu looked after herself and found a good supply of fruit, she'd be fine. She had never experienced scurvy, but she had looked after someone who had and it had been a distressing experience for twelve-year-old Utau.

'_Poor woman.'_

Utau couldn't help but stand there for a few more moments and observe with pity the cruel way in which Amu was harshly pushed around and shoved aside and forced to work with sores bleeding across her back. If she remembered correctly (and she doubted she would ever forget) the best cure for the sailor's disease was citrus and plenty of rest. She wondered why Kazuomi would allow her to labour like this, for surely he wanted his captive to be in perfect health. Yet there she was with little time to rest and constant duties to attend to and those few that were lower than low to simply stand there and beat or bark at her when she slacked.

Utau stood there in silence and slowly, gradually, that feeling of pity which she truly loathed was beginning to spread and, perhaps even worse, she more strongly remembered the groaning and lethargic ill-health of her brother all those years ago – she wanted to look away and go and hide because she had _never _wanted to see that repeated ever again… And it only took one more forceful shove for her to snap and march her way over to the other gangway.

'_Why do I do this?' _

She reasoned that there should always be at least one woman to stand up to the brutes on this ship and Amu had been doing so well. Utau had tried to be that woman to show that Kazuomi had not completely sapped the Tsukiyomi's strength, but…

"Outta y'r cage, sweetness?" A brute stood in her way. A second had slid over and she almost growled at him, but had to remind herself not to lose her cool as she tried to slip past, half-tempted to hop over the next companionway just to be rid of them quicker. The only time they seemed to speak was to harass her in some way. She'd had enough, but there was nothing she could do. One reached out to grab a fine, blonde pigtail, but she tugged it back just as quickly and scoffed at – at _it. _She'd dream of slapping it right across its greasy, crooked face and slashing at its throat, making it tumble overboard and hanging it from the bowsprit later on that night, but, wish as she may, she would not dare lay a finger on them unless she fancied treatment far worse.

"_Filthy_ animals!" Utau spat, storming away as fast as her legs could take her and she sighed. She had so desperately tried to be the strong one – to lessen the burden on her brother - but somehow it had gone straight out the window.

'_How pathetic.'_

By the time Utau had reached the starboard side, she was already trying to fight an embarrassed blush. She received a questioning look from the swine that oversaw the Princess' work, but he said nothing and simply stepped back and watched as she went over, stopping in front of the woman who glanced up, puzzled.

"Utau?" Amu wiped the sweat from her brow and squinted in the sunlight. "Wh-What are you doing he-"

"Oh, stop stammering and get to work."

Amu watched, baffled as the blonde knelt beside her, reached into the bucket of disgusting, lukewarm slosh and fetched the spare scrubbing brush that had settled at the bottom. She leant forward and began working at the particularly hard, muck-encrusted spots which Amu hadn't managed to shift entirely with the stinging in her hands. Amu stopped and stared for a good few seconds, utterly stumped at her willingness to help.

"Utau…" She began uncertainly, though the other was apparently ignoring her so far as she worked. Amu settled for a; "Thank you."

Utau finally paused and flicked her eyes back over. "Don't mention it." She brushed the heiress' gratitude aside with a quick shrug. "'Sides, these planks need to be spotless in case the Captain comes out."

And then nothing more was said and they continued on in awkward silence – Amu allowing herself to rest a little every now and then as Utau cleared up whatever spots she couldn't quite manage, though the latter huffed every so often as she worked as if she were trying to express annoyance at having to help out. Amu wasn't sure how to interpret her behaviour, so she said nothing.

Utau, meanwhile, was unsure whether she was more annoyed at the Princess' slacking or herself. God, she was frustrated – so badly so that she couldn't shake it, but, glancing at the woman beside her, she began to think she understood.

Whydid she suffer? Why had her life become a living hell so long as she sailed with this crew on this bloody ship? Amu – she had only been here for one single, solitary month and yet- _Why _wasn't Amu afraid as she was? They didn't treat her like they treated Utau. Theydidn't torment _her_ day and night – tugging her pigtails; grabbing her thighs; shoving her around like a dog because they _knew _they could and the Captain wouldn't say anything. How did _she _have the confidence to stand out here and brave their work every single day and return at night with no more than a work-related scratch or sore and then _willingly _comply with the duties they gave her and Utau couldn't – she almost choked up – she _couldn't _so much as step out into the _corridor_ without shaking like a leaf and wanting to turn back and bolt herself in the safety of her own cabin. Why when _she – Utau – _should have been physically stronger to withstand it all… Why was she so different?

Utau had paused and tried to breathe steadily for a moment because the tears had begun to prickle in the corners of her eyes and she would be damned if any one of the others were to see it.

'_Why must I be so childish?' _she asked herself, feeling the heat rise within her cheeks as she realised the full low and shamefulness of the petty jealousy that gnawed away inside of her. _'Why do I succumb to such envy like this? Why can I not help it?'_

She knew she could not help it, so, yet again, she merely accepted it. Utau didn't even notice Amu eyeing her with concern. After all, she had stopped entirely and her fingers trembled against the edges of her brush. She wondered if she was just nervous to be so out in the open. From what she'd gathered, it was rare for her to be sighted on the deck.

"_Amu."_

Both women simultaneously looked up at the familiar voice and saw Ikuto ambling across the deck, obviously in their direction, avoiding fellow workers who were continuously moving back and forth and up and down the length of the ship. Strange, Amu thought, for he didn't usually come to fetch her for anything until it was time to go back to her cabin.

"Ikuto?"

Beside her, Utau stiffened, watching the form of her brother approaching with wide eyes. Without a seconds hesitation, the woman wordlessly rose to her feet, abandoning the scrubbing brush to the side and had ducked off down to the forecastle before Amu could even blink. The heiress was left there, gaping at the spot where she'd been and frowning as she looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of blonde. "Utau?"

'_What a strange woman,' _Amu mused; _'What was all that about?'_

But by this time, Ikuto had already made his way over and Amu too stood to meet his eye-line. He gave the big pirate behind her a sharp stare. It appeared to be a silent code of some sort as the man nodded ever so slightly before plodding off, much to Amu's delight. When her personal 'bodyguard' had left the scene, he spoke.

"Your day's not over yet, but for now you can rest for an hour inside." Ikuto told her. "I assume you have no objection?" It wasn't really a question, Amu thought, but she shook her head instantly.

"Thank you, Ikuto." Amu replied, smiling gratefully as she gathered up her equipment. She only grinned wider when he offered a hand, silently asking her to hand everything over to him. It was an act of kindness probably only brought on due to her being unwell, but an act of kindness nonetheless and she mumbled a second thanks as he guided her back the way he came. To think that Ikuto had managed to relieve her of her duties – even if only for an hour – well, it brought up her dampened spirits considerably and she was drawn to follow him back to the comfort of her own cabin – the thought of her warm bed just ready for her to collapse upon and drift away into the wonderful, peaceful world of rest luring her in like a moth to the candlelight.

But the moment her hand was firmly in his she felt that soft touch of skin again and her mind took her back to that morning. Her face heated quite considerably as she remembered those fingers along her legs; remembered the gentle caress of his skin on hers; remembered just how much of it he had managed to lay his eyes on.

Amu tried to shake away the embarrassment as he led her back aft and held her head low, lest she wanted him to see her blush.

"You thinking naughty thoughts again?"

The tease was evident and she wanted to snap at him, but one look at those eyes – gleaming with mischief – took the words right out of her mouth. She didn't see him looking like that often. It was a nice change. And so she couldn't resist a snarky reply.

"No dirtier than yours."

He chuckled and her spirits lifted.

"Don't work too hard." Ikuto said to her as he unlocked the cabin door. "Otherwise you'll end up feeling worse than you already are." He added, his eyes suddenly dull as if in remembrance of some long forgotten pain, but, after a moment's thought, Amu could only link it to the dim light of the corridor.

"Oh, I'm feeling fine," she said simply, really quite confident that she could soldier on through the aches and pains all the way back to good health; "and nowhere near as drowsy as this morning, thank goodness."

Ikuto didn't look as if he was going to interrogate her over her symptoms further. "Don't go for more than a few weeks without those fruits." He added. Amu nodded briefly, but she paused completely when the comment set a bell ringing within her mind.

"Weeks?" she repeated, her voice distant. "Weeks…" Ikuto watched her face, confused, as she frowned again and laid out a mental timeline of events in her brain. "Ikuto," she eventually began; "for how many weeks have I been on this ship?"

So that was what had so suddenly bothered her, he realised. "Almost five weeks." Ikuto answered honestly, seeing no need to sugar-coat the harsh reality that she had been separated from her former life and held hostage for over a month.

"Oh…" She sounded quiet now and there was a waver in her voice as she continued; "Five weeks away. What will everyone think?" Her heart that still longed for her family and home sank and she quickly brushed away any visible tears before the pirate beside her could see. But instead of just walking away or telling her to go inside or awkwardly trying to shove aside the fact that she had begun to cry whilst he was still there as she may have expected any of these men to do, Ikuto smirked and to her surprise she heard him chuckle.

"You have no idea, Princess," Ikuto shook his head as if trying to shake away the mild amusement; "your fiancé has been very busy." Immediately catching her attention, she spun round and no questions needed to be voiced for him to answer; "He's overtaken four ships since he set out for you."

'_Tadase set out for me?'_

'_Tadase is searching?'_

'_But how does Ikuto know that?_

'_Does he know where I am?'_

'_Does he know of Captain Ichinomiya?'_

'_They haven't given up?'_

And, when she was once more left alone, the thought had her grinning.

"They didn't give up..!"

~.~.~

* * *

_**Definitions**_

**Bowsprit**: A beam that projects forward from the bow to which the stays (the support ropes) of the foremast are fastened.

**Sloop**: A sail boat with a single mast and headsail.

**Man-of-war**: A Navy warship.

_(__**A/N**__: The first part of this pleases me far more than the second, but at least it's nowhere near the mess that it was before. And I needed to put Utau in somewhere because she hasn't been about too much._

_But at least I got to include Tadase. I like Tadase when he's motivated.)_


End file.
